


Taking Chances

by palominopup



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Gay Sex, Initial Lisa Braeden/Dean Winchester, M/M, Minor Anna Milton/Dean Winchester, Sheriff Dean, Slow Romance, Writer Castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-16
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-03-31 22:32:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 52,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13984695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/palominopup/pseuds/palominopup
Summary: Dean's biggest nightmare was happening. A one night stand...a very male one night stand, was now the newest resident of HIS town. And if that wasn't enough, he was Dean's new neighbor.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story came to be because I did a contest on my palominopup Facebook page. I gave my members/readers a little prompt and they were to come up with a collage to match the story. The winner would have their collage and title choice in my next work. They would also get a "part" in the story.
> 
> The winner was anya123456 and her name is Stacie. So, I am giving a shout out to her and her awesome collage. Thanks, Stacie.

****

 

 ******August 2017**

 **Cooper, Wyoming**  

 

Castiel watched the moving van grow smaller, kicking up the dry dirt that made up his driveway. He huffed out a tired breath. He turned and stared into the interior of his new house. His new old house. His furniture and a multitude of boxes made a labyrinth with a narrow path to his kitchen.  

First things first… before he did anything else, he needed to find the coffee maker. When he packed it up in LA, he’d labeled the box ‘dire needs’ with a thick marker. It had to be here somewhere. 

Later that evening, Castiel looked proudly at the small appliance that gave him life. His bed was set up and made with clean sheets. And there was toilet paper in the master bathroom. All he needed now was food, but that would have to wait until morning. Tired and achy, Castiel spent the first night in his new home. 

By Castiel’s standards, Cooper wasn’t a small town... Monterey was a small town. Cooper was downright  _dinky_. When he visited two months ago searching for the real estate office, he’d second guessed his choice to move here. It reminded him of Mayberry on that old television show. 

He  _was_  here though. He’d signed on the dotted line and owned this house. LA was too much for him. Too many people. Too many memories. The City of Angels had sucked his creative juices dry. His agent and his friends thought he was crazy when he spread out a map, closed his eyes, and pointed.  _Yes_ , as crazy as it was, that's how he'd chosen Cooper. 

The rutted driveway made his car shudder and he winced. He’d driven the ’73 Fiat Spider from LA. She was his special girl. The realtor, Andrea Lafitte, had eyed the bright red import with trepidation and informed him it wouldn’t make it through the first Wyoming winter. He’d mentally rolled his eyes at that. His girl was used to LA traffic. What could happen to her in a town with barely nine thousand people? He just needed to get some of those holes filled.   

Driving into town was definitely an experience. He passed huge gates that he’d learned from Andrea led to two of the largest ranches in the area. Main Street, itself, was picturesque in an antique sort of way. The writer in him loved the backdrop of the mountains to the west. He drove slow and paid attention to the various businesses, noting the bakery, the barber shop, and the library. He was sure he’d be frequenting them.   

According to his GPS, there was a grocery store just around the corner. Expecting something like the Safeway that had been near his condo, he was shocked to find the building only slightly larger than a convenience store. He sat behind the wheel of his car and stared. A few people came and went, most giving his car a curious once-over.   

Sending up a silent prayer the place had more than beef jerky and Hostess cupcakes, he got out of the Spider and stepped inside. It was bigger than it looked, but still very different than he was used to. He pulled a cart out of the rack by the front door and headed for the produce. He picked up sweet potatoes and a bag of Granny Smith apples. Narrowing his eyes, the scanned the meager display. Leaving his cart, he went to the one lone cash register. The pretty brunette looked up from the magazine she was reading. "Can I help you?"  

"Yes, I was hoping you had melons." He loved sliced cantaloupe or honeydew in the mornings after his run.  

She laughed out loud and pointed to her chest. "Got two." He blinked in confusion as he automatically looked down at the faded University of Wyoming sweatshirt she wore.   

Blushing, he shook his head. "No... no... I meant cantaloupes..." Christ. He struggled to find a way to keep from sounding like a creep. "I'm so sorry..."  

"God, you're precious." She leaned her hip on the counter and eyed him up and down. "I haven't seen you before. Visiting?" 

"No. I just moved here." All he wanted to do was disappear. Surely there was a Costco within driving distance. 

"Really? Why?" 

"Why?" He stared in confusion. 

She was openly studying him, like he was a strange insect. "Yeah. You one of those real estate tycoons buying up land? In witness protection? Running from the law?" 

"Are those the only reasons people move here?" By now, a man had come up to the conveyor belt and was unloading his cart. He seemed interested in the conversation.  

"Pam, leave the poor guy alone." The man's southern Louisiana accent was strong. Castiel spent a few seconds looking at him. He was attractive, big, the kind of man that could pin you against the wall and fuck you... The man grinned, like he knew what Castiel was thinking. Castiel felt his face heat and knew he was blushing again. Sticking out his hand, the man said, "Name's Benny Lafitte. Pam doesn't bite... most of the time." Castiel returned his teasing smile and shook. The man's palm was warm and strong. 

"Castiel Novak. It's nice to meet you...both," he said, including the cashier, Pam, in his greeting. 

"Interesting moniker. Family name?" Benny asked conversationally. Used to questions like that, Castiel shook his head. 

"My mother was very religious and decided to name me and my brothers after angels."   

"Cooper now has its very own angel," Pam said, her smile warm and teasing. Castiel decided he liked her and the burly man with...all those _green peppers_? 

At Castiel's questioning look, Benny responded, "I own the best restaurant in town. Vieux Carré." 

"Let me guess... Cajun cuisine?" 

"Oui," Benny answered. "You'll have to stop by. Your first meal is on the house." 

"I'll take you up on that once I get unpacked." Castiel looked over at his cart, then to Pam. "I don't suppose you could start stocking cantaloupes for the resident angel?" He gave her his most charming smile. 

"Flirting with this one will get you in trouble," Benny said with a laugh.  

"Don't mind him... his wife keeps him on a tight leash." Castiel could see the affection between them and chuckled softly. "I'll see what I can do about your melons, Angel." He waved to Benny and returned to his cart to finish his shopping. Though small, the store did carry the basics and he found enough to keep him fed until he got settled in and could explore the surrounding area. There had to be a bigger store somewhere close. Maybe in Riverton, the next town over. 

As he checked out, Pam asked a few personal questions. He answered without a second thought.  _His house was on County Road 20. He moved here from LA. Yes, he was single._ Her eyes turned predatory at his last answer and he was quick to assure her that she didn't carry the right equipment. Andrea, the realtor, assured him Cooper was a progressive town with several members of the LGBTQ community living and working in the area. It was why he didn't hesitate to let her know he preferred men. 

"So, what does a sexy, gay man plan on doing in the booming metropolis of Cooper?" 

"I'm a writer. I came here for the peace and quiet." Which was partially true.  

"That's cool. What do you write?" 

"I have a series called 'Purgatory Road'. It's about two brothers that hunt for monsters." 

"Like vampires?" 

He shook his head and smiled. "Not really. Twilight ruined them for me. My books are more about obscure creatures from myth and legend." Castiel didn't tell her the first book in the series was being made into a movie that would be released at the end of the year. He really did hate talking about himself. Stacie, his agent, had to drag him kicking and screaming to book signings. There was something about Pam that made him comfortable and he could see her becoming a friend. 

"I'll have to see if the library has them." She said, swiping his debit card. 

"If not, I'll donate a set," Castiel offered. He'd have to stop by the library on his way home. He always carried a few sets in his trunk for situations like this. 

"Are you sure you're gay? You're nice... and hot as hell. You'd be fighting off the women around here. Including me," she said, in the same teasing tone she'd used on Benny. 

"Definitely gay," he responded. She finished bagging his groceries and he said goodbye after promising not to be a stranger. 

After stowing the bags in the small space behind the seats, Castiel put the top down. It was a pretty afternoon, good for driving with the wind in his hair. He got in and started the engine, loving the sound of the Italian-made motor under her hood. Settling his sunglasses on his nose, he backed out of the parking space and turned onto Main Street. 

The small library was in a nondescript brick building next to City Hall. He parked and decided to leave the top down. This was small town USA, not crime-ridden LA. Besides, after glancing around, he saw the sheriff's office across the street and decided his car would be safe. Whistling a mindless tune, he opened the trunk and counted out his first eight books. The ninth was on his laptop in the final stages of editing. 

As he pushed the door open, he felt a sense of calm. Libraries were his haven as a child. He spent hours holed up in the stacks to avoid going home. His parents were unhappy in their marriage and it trickled down to him and his older brothers. Gabriel and Raphael both left home right after graduating high school. Thankfully, both made their way and were relatively happy. Gabriel owned a production company that specialized in ‘tasteful porn’ and Raphael put himself through law school and lived in Boston. While he and Gabriel were close, his oldest brother was more of a loner. 

The front desk was manned by a young woman with skin the color of café-au-lait. She looked up from her monitor. "Can I help you find something?" Her gaze dropped to the stack of books in his hands and her eyes widened. 

"I wasn't sure if you carried this series. If not, I'd like to donate these," he said, setting them on the counter. She picked up the one on the top, his very first book,  _Purgatory Road - Wendigo Dawn_. 

"These are brand new. Gosh, I love this series. I have the whole set at home. I read somewhere that they are making a movie. This really is a generous gift." She touched the spine reverently and then looked up at Castiel as she slowly turned book over. Castiel glanced down at the familiar picture on the back. "You're you."  

"I am," he said with a shrug. 

"I'm sort of fangirling here." Her words were punctuated with a soft laugh. "I love you." At his raised eyebrow, she amended, "I mean, I love your books. God, I wish I had mine here so you could autograph them for me... I'm sorry... that's kind of pushy. I've just never met a celebrity before. Wow, Max is going to just die when I tell him I met you." 

"Max?" 

"My brother... my twin. He's a firefighter and a big fan too." 

"Ah," Castiel sighed with understanding. "I cannot guarantee when I'll come back in, but if you just happen to have your books here, I'll sign them for you." 

She squealed and then covered her mouth guiltily. "You are so nice. Can I have..." She held up her phone. 

"Sure." He waited for her to come around the counter and easily posed for a selfie with her. It wasn't his first encounter with a fan and probably wouldn't be his last. Even after all these years, he was still humbled that people thought he was something special just because he wrote books. He put his arm around her tiny waist and smiled for the camera. When she lowered it, he stepped away. "What's your name?" 

"Alicia. Alicia Banes."  

"Well, Alicia, you'll probably see a lot of me in here. I love to bring my laptop and find a quiet table to write. Being around books makes the words flow." 

"Are you on vacation?" She asked as she once again took her place behind the counter. 

"No. I just moved here." She let out another squeal. He just smiled and waved goodbye. 

The drive back to the house was pleasant. The open air of Wyoming was a lot less stifling than LA. He already liked the town and the few people he'd already met.  

His phone rang as he was carrying in his groceries. He looked at the screen and saw his agent's name and answered, "Hello, Stacie." 

"Hi. How is my favorite author? Find yourself humming  _Home on the Range_  yet?" 

"I'm fine. Got in yesterday." He'd actually driven into the area the night before and stayed in some cheap hotel by the interstate. She asked the usual questions about the house and the town, then the conversation lagged. He waited. 

"Mick's parents are still calling," she said, the niceties over. He didn't speak for a full minute as he digested the information. He and Mick were engaged when Mick's recklessness ended his life. The accident was three years ago, but Mick's parents kept hounding him. He'd had to change his number and then they found Stacie's through his publisher. They were one of the reasons he'd left California behind. 

"I'm sorry you're stuck in the middle," Castiel said, wishing the Davies would forget he existed. 

"Don't be. That's what I'm here for. They told me the house was empty, so they’re either in the States or have hired someone." Mick's parents lived in London. Knowing they'd come to his and Mick's home meant they were getting desperate. At his silence, she continued, "Castiel, it is rightfully yours. It was a gift from Mick to you. He even substantiated that in his will." That his fiancé even had a will had shocked Castiel. 

The 'it' was a painting Mick had done for his engagement gift to Castiel. He'd presented it to Castiel in London, at his parent's home. The Davies weren't thrilled at their son's sexual orientation or his choice of an American as his partner. Mick's art was highly sought after before his death. Afterward, their value shot through the roof. Castiel suspected the Davies had already blown through the money Mick had bequeathed them and now wanted ' _Summer Love'_  to auction to the highest bidder.  

The painting, set on a beach in Baja, was drawn from Mick's memory of their first vacation together. It was when he'd told Castiel he loved him for the first time. "They'd sell it," he said, almost to himself. 

"They would. I didn't tell them you'd left LA. They’re desperate, Castiel. Legally, they can’t touch the painting, but you don’t need their bullshit in your life." 

"This is why I pay you the big bucks," Castiel said, ready to move the topic of conversation to something more pleasant. Stacie knew him well and began asking questions about the latest edits. By the time they were done talking business, the groceries were put away and he was ready to fix something to eat.  

The sandwich was enough to give him the energy to start tackling some of the boxes. He started on the ones in his bedroom.  _'Summer Love_ ', still crated, leaned against a wall next to his dresser. A part of him wanted to keep it packed away. He sat on the end of his bed and closed his eyes. 

They'd fought. That last month, the fights had gotten worse. Mick was passionate, as were most artists, so the arguments were volatile and dramatic. Castiel was tired of the drugs and the constant partying. 

That fateful night, Castiel refused to go to yet another Hollywood party with Mick. His fiancé said some hurtful things and had left in a roar of his motorcycle. The police report said the Harley was doing an estimated ninety miles per hour when it left the highway. The autopsy showed alcohol, cocaine, and Ecstasy in his system. 

With his death, pictures appeared from the party. Social media blew up with photographs of the famous artist with his hands on a very young male model. The touch was obviously intimate and Castiel had wondered how long Mick had been cheating. Speculation that his engagement to the author of the  _Purgatory Road_  series was over before his death became the topic of conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and even Entertainment Tonight. Castiel ignored it all. 

He'd grieved, but the love he felt for Mick was laid to rest with the artist. Had he made it back from the party alive, Castiel would have told him it was over between them. His engagement ring was sitting on the dresser when the police officers knocked on the door that night. Guilt ate at him for a long time, but he threw himself into his writing and got past all the pain.  

"It's too quiet," he said to the room. He stood and walked over to the window. The sun was setting and there was a pinkish hue to the world around him. In the distance, he could see a few horses in his nearest neighbor's pasture. "I should stop by and say hello... I need to stop talking to myself because everyone knows it is the first sign you're going nuts." He turned and blew out an exhale. "Time to get to work..." Maybe he should get a dog to keep him company. Talking to a dog was better than talking to himself. 

Without a TV, Castiel cranked up his stereo to keep the silence at bay. He sang along to the songs as he unpacked boxes. At midnight, he finally decided he'd done enough. Like the night before, sleep came quickly. 

 

"Good morning, Sheriff." 

Sheriff Dean Winchester gave his dispatcher, office manager, and all around favorite woman, his mega-watt smile. "Morning, Missouri. Anything new and exciting going on?" The small town of Cooper, Wyoming didn't see much in the way of criminal activity. It was a far cry from his previous life as a homicide detective in Dallas. 

"Ash called early this morning to report some kids spray painted a picture of a penis on the back door of the funeral home," she informed him, while handing him a couple of written messages. He stifled a giggle at Missouri's use of the word penis. She gave him the evil eye like she'd known. " _And_ the mayor called about ten minutes ago 'suggesting' a meeting about the crossing guards." 

"Crossing guards?" Dean knew school was starting in a couple of weeks, but why did the mayor need to meet with him about that? They were city employees. Dean didn't have anything to do with them. He huffed. Mayor Crowley was a thorn in his side. Five years ago, when he'd applied for the position as a deputy, Frank Devereaux, the sheriff, had told him all about his love-hate relationship with Crowley. When Frank retired, he'd passed his frustrations with the man off onto Dean. "Did he give a time?" 

"Nine. At his office." Dean glanced up at the clock on the wall behind Missouri's desk. He had thirty minutes.  

"Okay, send Jody or Jesse to Ash's and I'm going to go grab some coffee before I face the dragon in his lair." 

"Jesse took the morning off to ride down to Casper with Cesar. Remember?" She asked disapprovingly.  _Fuck_. How could he have forgotten? Jesse and his husband, Cesar, were trying for a baby. Today, they had an interview with a possible surrogate.  

" _Shit._..sorry, it just slipped my mind."  

"Boy, watch your language," she scolded. He loved her, but she managed to make him feel like a kid caught misbehaving most of the time. 

"What about Jody?" 

"She's out patrolling near the interstate, but I can call her."  

"Thanks, Missouri. I owe you one." 

"You owe me hundreds," she said gruffly, but he knew she was teasing. If Missouri didn't like you, she clammed up and gave you the stink eye. She was always giving Dean shit, but when he'd broken his ankle his first month on the job, she'd brought him food and bitched at him for not having his foot elevated. She cared about him and he loved her for it. 

The wonderful aromas from Hanscum's Bakery made his mouth water. He stepped into line behind a young woman holding a baby on her shoulder. He prided himself on knowing the people of his town. She was familiar...wasn't she married to one of the firefighters? He scoured his brain searching for her name. Donna saved him. "Travis' birthday cake is boxed and ready to go, Tiffany." 

As the two women talked, Dean booped the little tyke on his nose and got a toothy grin in response. He loved kids. He sure hoped Jesse and Cesar got good news today. Still staring at the baby, Dean's mind wandered to his brother's kids. Tommy and Jenna were the closest he'd probably ever come to children of his own. They were the reason he'd moved to Cooper in the first place... well, Eileen was expecting his nephew at the time and that's why he came here. Now, Tommy was five and in kindergarten.  _Time flies_... 

"Dean? Earth to Dean." Donna's concerned voice brought him back to the present.  

"Sorry, just zoned out for a second," he said with a reassuring smile, realizing the woman with the baby was gone. "I'll just take my usual... no, maybe add some of that hazelnut stuff. I've got a meeting with the mayor this morning and I'll need something good to get me through it." 

Donna picked up a to-go cup and began filling it with the best coffee in Cooper... in Dean's opinion. He took a moment to peruse the bakery case and pointed. "I'll take one of those maple-nut donuts too." 

She looked around and lowered her voice. "I have the juiciest gossip." 

Dean grinned, shaking his head in amusement. "You always do." If you wanted to know anything about anyone, the bakery owner was the person to come to. 

Ignoring his comment, she whispered, "Pam, down at the market, told me that a very sexy writer moved to town." Dean raised an eyebrow. He was always curious about new folks coming to live in Cooper. He couldn't help being suspicious of anyone that might upset the balance. 

"How sexy are we talking?"  

Donna chuckled and handed him his coffee. "Not your kind.  _He_  is both hot and gay according to Pam."  

Dean schooled his expression. "Guess Pam was bummed, huh?" Back when he'd first got to town, Dean and Pam had a short-lived thing. They'd stopped just short of sleeping together, deciding they were better off as friends than lovers. As her friend, Dean knew Pam was constantly on the prowl. Cooper wasn't a hot bed of eligible bachelors. 

"You know Pam. She doesn't let anything get her down," Donna answered cheerfully. They chatted for a few more minutes, the new resident forgotten, until he had to leave to get to his meeting on time. 

His SUV, with 'sheriff' emblazoned on the sides, sat waiting for him. He set his coffee in the cupholder and started the ignition. It only took him a minute to pull into his designated spot in front of his office. Instead of going inside, he rolled down his window and unwrapped his donut. He watched the inhabitants of his town go about their daily lives while he ate his breakfast. No, he didn't miss Dallas at all. 

Five minutes before nine, Dean balled up his trash, tucked it into the cup, and exited the SUV. He crossed the street and tossed the cup into the can next to the front door of City Hall. 

Crowley's secretary, a scary old woman whose face was always set in a scowl, picked up the phone when he arrived. "Sheriff Winchester is here, sir...yes, sir." She hung up and addressed him. "You may go in now." 

"Thank you, Mrs. Smythe." He deliberately pronounced it Smith. He felt a wave of perverse pleasure at her pinched face. 

The mayor sat behind his huge desk. When Dean entered the office, he leaned back in his chair. "I heard there was vandalism at the funeral home. I hope you are investigating." 

How the hell did he hear about it so fast? Right... small town USA. Nothing was a secret in Cooper. Well, almost nothing. "I have one of my deputies on it," Dean countered. Crowley didn't offer Dean a seat, but he sank into one of the plush chairs in front of the desk anyway. 

"Good. Now, as you know, school starts in two weeks. I have the current list of those who have applied and been chosen for the crossing guard job. Out of the five, four held the position last year. I think, in lieu of last year's incident, you should conduct a training class." Dean stared at him blankly. It was a minimum wage position, usually held by retirees who just wanted to get out of the house for an hour or so a day. And  _the incident_  last year wasn't anything serious. Old man Joshua got pissed off at one of the high school students and smacked him upside the head with his cardboard stop sign. Dean knew the kid. He was a smarmy little asshat and probably deserved it. Joshua was not allowed to wear the uniform anymore. 

"I don't think a class is really necessary," Dean protested, but Crowley lifted his hand and Dean shut his mouth.  

I will have the guards at the high school next Tuesday morning." He picked up a folder and opened it, effectively dismissing Dean. 

Dean breathed a sigh of relief when he stepped out into the sunlight. He looked both ways and crossed the street. Stepping into the office, he waved at Missouri, who was on the phone. Just as he got to his desk, he heard part of Missouri's conversation. 

"And Alicia said he donated all his books to the library... yes, a full set... new... and he took a selfie with her... I know.... me too, but there's already a waiting list to check the first one out..." She was quiet for a moment and Dean leaned against the door. So what, if he was nosy. He was the sheriff. It was his job. "That's a great idea. I'll get one too... Amazon... do you think he would? Rowena would just die..." She laughed and it made Dean smile. What had her so excited? 

Jody pushed the door open and walked inside, adjusting her gun belt. She acknowledged Missouri, who nodded hello, before coming toward him. "Take any dick pics?" He asked with a smirk. She rolled her eyes. 

"It was pink, Dean. We have quite the artist... they even included veins." She handed him her phone and his eyes narrowed. The realistic looking penis was huge and a shocking shade of hot pink. 

"Bet Ash shit a brick," Dean said, handing her back the phone. 

"Yeah, but at least it wasn't the front door," Jody replied. "I'll write up my report and I've told Ash he could go ahead and get it painted over." 

"Any clues? Besides being a good artist?" Dean scratched his neck. Crossing guards and giant, pink penises... a long way from stabbings and drug related deaths. 

"No. I checked around for any paint cans, but whoever did it, took their trash with them." Unfortunately, the funeral home was just past the town's grocery store and away from any of the businesses that might have security cameras. "Have you heard anything from Jesse?" 

He shook his head. "Not a word."  

"I hope they get some good news," she said, moving to her desk. 

"Yeah, me too," Dean replied. Since Jesse was out until God knew when, Dean decided to go on patrol. He shook his keys. "I'm going for a drive. Let me know if you hear from Jesse," he told Missouri. 

"Will do, Bossman." She didn't even look up from her monitor. That was unusual. He poked his head around her desk and recognized the Amazon website. 

"What are you shopping for?" She clicked her mouse and a book appeared on the screen. 

"A series of books called  _Purgatory Road_. The author just moved to town and everyone is talking about it. I'm going to buy a copy since the library already has a waiting list. Ellen thinks he'll sign it. She also thinks he might come to our book club to talk about it." Ellen, the owner of the only bar in town, was a woman who scared the shit out of him, but like Missouri, she would do anything in the world for him. 

Dean studied the cover of the book. "What kind of name is Cas-steel? Probably some made up crap." Missouri glared at him and gave him a shove. 

Ignoring his nonsense, she clicked on the 'buy now' icon. "Ellen is hosting the next book club meeting and she's not going to tell Rowena about it if he agrees to come. She'd just flounce her hair around and flirt with the man all night." Dean laughed. Missouri and probably three-quarters of the town hated the woman and her husband. The power couple flew into town in their private plane a few years back, bought up several hundred acres of land out near Dean's place, and built a monstrosity they called a house. Thankfully, they only spent the summers in Cooper. When the first snowflake threatened, Ketch and his lovely wife would pack their shit and go home to California. Ketch was one of those Hollywood producers. Dean hated him. 

"Donna told me some writer moved to town. Guess this is him," he said, pointing to her screen. "She said Pam told her he was sexy." 

Missouri was still laughing when the door shut behind him. Maybe he'd stop by Benny's place for lunch before taking a ride around the county. 

Benny's place was crowded, but that wasn't strange. With only a handful of restaurants in town, the citizens didn't have many choices. Benny's food was genuinely good though. The transplanted Cajun really knew how to cook. Dean threw up a wave to his friend when he stepped inside to the wonderful aroma of the Wednesday special – _Jambalaya_. Benny nodded toward the two-top in the back of the room. Dean settled into the chair facing the entrance.  

Despite the lunch crowd, Benny, himself, brought over Dean's usual Coke and sat across from him. "You hear about the pink penis on Ash's back door?" Benny asked, amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes. "Rhetorical question... I've just been wanting to say pink penis to someone all day long." 

Dean threw back his head and laughed. "Jody has the dick pics on her phone. I'll have her text them to you." 

"Please. Andrea would get a kick out of it. Think it was kids?" 

"Yeah. I'll call Lisa and find out who the best artists are in the high school." Lisa was a teacher. She was also _one_ of Dean's... what was she? Not really a girlfriend, but _fuck buddy_ seemed too crude. Anna, the other woman he saw on a regular basis, was more of the girlfriend variety since she refused to sleep with Dean while he was sleeping with Lisa. It was complicated. The two women knew about each other. Dean might be a  _dog_ , but he was an honest one. 

Benny frowned at the mention of Lisa's name. "One of these days, you need to shit or get off the pot with Lisa and Anna."  

"Benny..." Dean huffed. It was a conversation they'd had before. Dean wasn't ready to settle down. He cared about both women, but he didn't love either one. Love was something for people like Sam and Eileen. Or Benny and Andrea.  

His friend held up his hands. "I know... none of my business. You having the special?" 

"You know it," Dean said, relaxing now that Benny dropped the subject of Dean's private life. The chef disappeared through the swinging doors and Dean spent the next few minutes looking around at the other customers. Most he knew by name. All he knew by sight. 

The heaping bowl of Jambalaya was presented to him and he moaned in appreciation. "Hey, you hear anything about the new guy in town... the writer?" 

Surprisingly, Benny sat again. "I met him yesterday at the grocery store."  

Dean chuckled. "Did Pam try to eat him alive?" 

His friend laughed. "She had him tongue-tied for a few minutes, but I made her play nice." Benny proceeded to tell him about the conversation and had the sheriff choking back laughter when he got to the melon part. "But seriously, he seems like a really nice guy." 

"Huh, well, maybe I'll meet him one day. He's got half the women in town fawning over him already...even Missouri." 

"I really don't think he's all that interested in women," Benny said easily. Dean knew the town was pretty damn progressive when it came to their citizen's religious or sexual affiliations. Dean still had to play his part though. His secret was forever safe.  

"Donna said he was gay..." Dean said conversationally, taking a large bite of the rich Cajun classic and savoring the spices. "Best batch yet." 

"You say that about every batch," Benny replied with a grin. The chef was called back to the kitchen and Dean was relieved. Getting into discussions that included the words gay or bisexual made him nervous. Not because he was one of _those_ bigoted assholes, but because he was afraid someone... anyone... would figure out the one thing he kept hidden from everyone. Except Sam. 

 

"Fuck," Castiel muttered under his breath. He'd been unpacking for three days. How had he accumulated so much stuff? The trip to explore the area would be put off for another day. Tired and cranky, Castiel kicked the offending bookcase. The house in LA had built in bookcases in the den for housing all of his books. After seeing this one, he'd known enough to purchase some before moving out here. They'd come in heavy cardboard boxes. It took him the better part of an hour to put together one of the five together. He still had a narrow piece of wood and a screw left over. He didn't want to put anything on it because he was afraid it would fall apart. 

Deciding a break was in order, he opened the fridge and pulled out a can of Coke. He rubbed the cold can over his forehead and sighed in relief. His new house didn't have air conditioning. Apparently, the fine citizens in Wyoming didn't think it was needed. Finding someone who could install one was on his list of things to do. 

The timid knock at his front door startled him and he set the can down. Other than Pam, Benny, Andrea, and Alicia, he didn't know anyone in town. Bare feet slapping on the wooden floors, he stepped over the tools scattered on the floor. 

He opened the door to find a bearded man staring back at him. "Hello." 

"Hi, my name is Chuck Shurley, and I'm with the Cooper Tribune." 

"Castiel Novak." Castiel waited a few beats before adding, "Can I help you, Mr. Shurley?" 

"Please, call me Chuck. First of all, I wanted to welcome you to town. Cooper is probably not what you're used to, but there are a lot of good folks that live here." 

Remembering his manners, Castiel stepped aside. "Won't you come in? You'll have to pardon the mess.  Can I get you a soft drink? Beer? Water? I'm afraid that's all I have at the moment." 

"No, I'm good," Chuck said, entering the living room. "Looks like you have your work cut out for you." He indicated the stack of boxes and the finished bookcase standing in the middle of the room. 

"I'm pretty sure an alien lifeform wrote the instructions," Castiel replied with a soft laugh. Chuck responded with a chuckle of his own. 

"I'd offer to help, but those aliens would probably be better at it than I am. You should ask Dean to help. He's remodeled the majority of his house... by himself." 

"Dean?" 

"Oh, sorry, forgot you haven't been here long. Dean, Sheriff Winchester, is your closest neighbor. He's a great guy and I'm sure he could have these built in no time." 

"The house over there?" Castiel pointed out of one of the windows that faced north. "The one with the horses?" 

"That's the one." 

"I haven't met the sheriff yet. I was going to introduce myself after I got settled." He stared forlornly down at the boxes. At this rate, he'd be meeting his neighbors in time to drop off a Christmas card. 

"Uh, well, the reason I'm here... I was wondering if you would let me do a little story about you. We don't get many new residents, especially famous ones. I thought it would give the town a thrill." 

Castiel shook his head, "I'm going to have to decline, Chuck. I left LA to find a quiet place to write. I'm not a celebrity by any stretch of the imagination. I was hoping to blend in here." 

"I get it. It was a stupid idea." The man looked so disappointed that for an instant he thought about agreeing to an interview. Stacie would freak the fuck out if he talked to anyone without her approval anyway. "We don't have much real news in Cooper. I mainly write about cows getting out and chasing the mailman or calf-roping events during rodeo season." His face brightened. "Just this morning, we did have some vandalism to report." His expression fell. "But I couldn't even print a picture of it." 

"Why not?" Castiel found himself intrigued by the man's gentle voice. 

"The vandal painted a giant penis on the back door of the funeral home. Some of the older citizens of Cooper might not like seeing... _that_." 

Castiel could not have held back the bark of laughter had he tried. Chuck gave him a tentative smile. "I'm...wow... that's funny." 

"What's funny is that Jody... one of the deputies," he added for Castiel's benefit, "sent the picture to a few of her friends and now, everyone is getting unsolicited dick pics. It was bright pink and the artist paid attention to detail." 

Castiel hadn't laughed so hard in a very long time. Once he got himself under control, he motioned for Chuck to sit down. "Chuck, my agent will probably kill me, but I've decided to let you do your story. On one condition." 

"Anything," Chuck exclaimed, eyes dancing with amusement. 

"I want to fit in here. Do your story, but don't make me out to be..." He stopped, looking for the right word." 

"A stuck-up celebrity douchebag," Chuck supplied. 

"Exactly," Castiel said, grinning.  

The interview was short and pretty basic. He allowed Chuck to take a photo. Stacie was going to have a duck when she found out about it, but Castiel always abided by the old adage,  _better to beg forgiveness than ask permission._  

He walked Chuck to the door and watched him drive away. The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent organizing his office. The bookcases would have to wait. Maybe he would call Andrea and see if she knew of a handyman who he could pay to put them together. Yes, that was the perfect plan. Imposing on the sheriff seemed in poor taste. 

Taking one last look at his new workspace, he made his way to the kitchen. He pulled a beer out of the fridge and took it out to his front porch. Across the wide expanse of brush and prairie grass, he saw the lights on in the sheriff’s house. Chuck said he was a nice guy. His writer’s mind cast him as a portly man, slightly balding, who walked around with his thumbs tucked into his bulky, black gun belt. 

Since tomorrow was Friday, he planned on going into town and visiting a few of the shops. He’d have lunch at Benny’s restaurant and then stop by Pam’s to get some more groceries. Maybe Sunday, he’d drive over to Riverton to do some serious food shopping. 

Finishing his beer, he went inside and got ready for bed. He still wasn’t used to the total darkness and the absolute silence of his new home. He tossed and turned before finally succumbing to a dreamless slumber. 

The next morning, Castiel set off for town. As he pulled into a parking spot at the library, he remembered he’d have to visit Andrea’s office to talk to her about hiring a handyman. Besides the bookcases, his porch could use some work and he wanted to install a better light fixture in his office. 

The library was his first stop. Alicia was at the front desk and she grinned when she saw him. “Good morning, Mr. Novak.” 

“Please call me Castiel.” Her smile widened even more. 

“Your first book already has a waiting list,” she said excitedly. “As of this morning there were twenty-two names on it.” 

“Really?” The news shocked him and it must have shown, because Alicia picked up a thin newspaper. 

“Mr. Shurley’s article on you made an impact. Ms. Moseley, down at the sheriff’s office, says her book club has ordered seven copies from Amazon. They want to read it next.” 

Eying the paper with apprehension, he gestured toward it. “May I see?” 

“Oh, sure. It’s not much… not like the LA Times or anything like that. Mostly Mr. Shurley writes about the high school football team, the rodeo, and the church bake sales. You’re big news.” Castiel frowned at her words. He didn’t want to be ‘big news’. 

The article was on the front page. It was brief and Chuck kept his promise. Castiel handed it back to her. “I suppose I should subscribe. 

Her laugh was musical. “Definitely. You want to keep up with those bake sales.” 

He had her give him a tour of the small, but well-stocked library before heading out to his next stop. On the sidewalk, he looked around. There was a small office next door that housed Dr. Henriksen’s medical practice, or so the sign said. Good to know the town had a doctor. 

Castiel headed left. Benny’s restaurant was across the street next to the sheriff’s office, but it was only ten, so he’d catch that on his way back. 

Passing the barber shop and a hardware store that seemed to sell everything from a toilet plunger to lawnmowers, he hesitated by the gaily decorated window of Hanscum’s Bakery. The smell of baked goods drew him inside. An attractive blonde, hair tightly bound in a ponytail, greeted him. “How ya doing. Welcome to Hanscum’s… Oh, God, you’re you.” She thrust the newspaper, which had been laying on the counter by the register, forward. He nodded, not knowing what else to do. “Pam said you were hot, but wow…” She covered her mouth with her hand, eyes wide. “My big mouth. I’m so sorry. I’m not objectifying you. Really. I’m just… you really are pretty and you write books…and I’m still talking…” 

Castiel was delighted by her enthusiasm even if her compliments embarrassed him. “If your cupcakes taste as good as they look, why don’t we just call it mutual appreciation?” 

“Deal,” she said, her laugh ringing out in the small space. Several people looked up from their tables to see what was going on. “Would you like to try one?” 

Castiel stepped closer to the showcase and carefully perused the selection. “How about the chocolate raspberry?” 

“Good choice.” She pulled the tray toward her. “Just one?” 

“Make it a half dozen. To go.” He watched her set the cupcakes into a bright yellow box. 

“You like Cooper so far?” She asked pleasantly and Castiel found himself talking more to her than he did the shop owners back in LA. Some were friendly, but most were standoffish and he’d learned to buy what he needed and move on. After a few minutes, she asked, “You staying in town for lunch?” 

“I am. I thought I’d try Vieux Carre.” 

“Another good choice,” she replied. “Friday is Crawfish Boil Day.” 

“That sounds good,” he said, picking up the box and his change. He made a promise to visit again soon and turned to go. She called out a goodbye and Castiel smiled. So far, everyone he’d met were kind and maybe a bit quirky. He’d have lots of people to use for his character studies. 

When he pushed open the door of the Cajun restaurant, he inhaled the wonderful aroma of seafood and spices. Benny was behind a long bar and his face lit up when he saw Castiel. “You made it. It’s good to see you again, brotha’.” It was a shame the man wore a wedding band. Between his looks and his accent, Castiel was developing a crush.  

“You've got a wonderful place here, Benny, and it smells like heaven in here,” Castiel stated as Benny steered him to a table near one of the front windows. Mardi Gras beads hung from every light in the ceiling and there were piles of them on each of the checkered tablecloths. 

“Thanks. Today’s special is Crawfish Boil. Hope you brought an appetite.” 

“I’ve been living off frozen pizza and cereal. I definitely have an appetite.” He touched the laminated menu, but didn’t bother to pick it up.  

“Have you settled in?” 

“Yes and no,” Castiel replied honestly. “I have a few bookcases that are proving too much for me to put together, but at least I’ve found my forks.” 

Benny laughed, a deep and sexy sound. “That’s a win in my book.” Benny patted him on this back. “You need time to read the menu?” 

“I think I’ll have today’s special.”  

Benny picked up the menu and tucked it under his arm. “What’ll you have to drink?” 

“Coke.” 

“Coming right up,” Benny said with a wink and made his way back to the bar. Castiel took a look around. Since it was barely past eleven, there wasn’t a large crowd. Those that were there gave Castiel covert glances. He sat back and studied the posters of Mardis Gras past. Zydeco music played softly from hidden speakers and Castiel knew this would become a favorite place to eat. 

When Benny returned, he brought a tall glass of Coke and a large platter heaped with corn, potatoes, sausage and crawfish. “Are you the wait staff as well as the chef and the owner?” Castiel asked, eying the huge pile of food with alarm. How was he supposed to eat all this? 

“Only for friends. I have a couple of high schoolers who help in the evenings, along with my regular staff.” Did that mean Benny thought of him as a friend? The thought made him happy. Friends were hard to come by for him. The chef left to talk to some of the other diners, but managed to swing by Castiel’s table a few more times to check on him. He learned that Andrea, his real estate agent, was married to Benny. He hadn’t even noted their same surname. 

He made a healthy dent in his meal and requested his check from the Cajun. Benny frowned and waved him off. “First meal is on me. Remember?” 

“I can’t let you do that.” The meal could not have been cheap. 

“Don’t ever argue with the chef. Just come back again.”  

“I will definitely do that,” Castiel stood, picked up the box of cupcakes he’d set on one of the extra chairs, and was halfway to the door when a man in a tan uniform entered restaurant. He called out to Benny and headed for a table in the back. Castiel stared, the blood draining from his face. No, it couldn’t be. He quickly put on his sunglasses and lowered his head. Thankfully, the newcomer stopped at a table to talk to an elderly couple and Castiel made his escape. 

Outside, the warm air seemed to smother him. Maybe he was mistaken. What was that old saying? Everyone had a twin somewhere… What were the odds he was  _that_  man? One in a million? Five million? Math was never his strong suit. This could not be happening. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a little of Lisa and Dean in this chapter - mild stuff, no sex.

Fridays were Dean’s favorite day of the week. It meant the weekend was right around the corner  _and_  Benny’s crawfish boil was the special.

He plopped his butt down at his usual table and grinned when his friend started toward him. “I’m starving.”

“Somehow, I doubt that,” Benny said dryly. “I know for a fact that you hit up Donna’s this morning. Cops and their donuts… you are a walking cliché.”

“Fuck you and bring me my lunch,” Dean growled.

“Yeah, yeah, keep your shirt on,” Benny muttered and turned away, but he only went a few steps. He scanned the room, eyes searching for something. “Huh, guess he left already.”

“Who?” Dean’s own eyes took in the dining room, unsure about who or what he was looking for.

“Castiel.” At Dean’s confused expression, he added, “The writer that moved here. The one everyone is talking about. Andrea says he’s your neighbor… the old Sim’s place.”

“Figured someone bought it, didn't put two and two together." New neighbor  _and_  the town’s new topic of gossip.

“You’ll meet him soon enough,” Benny said and then asked, “Have you seen the Tribune this morning?”

“No. Why?” Dean never read the local paper. He didn’t want to insult Chuck, but he didn’t care who was getting married or whose kid got the honor roll. He relied on Google and the station out of Casper for his news.

“Wait a sec.” Benny disappeared into the kitchen and came back with Dean’s meal. He also dropped the folded newspaper next to his plate. Mr. Thomas, from the bank, called to the chef and he left Dean. Uninterested in whatever Benny wanted him to see, Dean attacked his lunch with gusto. Soon, a pile of crawfish carcasses and corn cobs was all that was left. He sat back and patted his stomach. 

His eyes drifted back to the paper. He picked it up and saw the headline.  _Author of Purgatory Road Series Settles in Cooper_. His eyes moved on to the photograph that accompanied the article. He felt his blood run cold. No. Was this a joke? God’s way of fucking with him… He held it closer, his hand trembling slightly. It was just a guy that looked like  _him_ … an exact replica… _fuck_. He never forgot a face, especially when that face was looking down at him as he drove his cock into Dean’s…

Dean took a deep breath and held it. His heart was in overdrive and his lunch was threatening to make a return visit.

Wide-eyed, his gaze darted around the restaurant. Benny was coming back.  _Not happening_. He stood so abruptly that the chair almost toppled over backward. He held up his phone. “Gotta go.” He tossed a twenty on the table and it took every ounce of control not to run out the door.

“Dean, is everything all…” Benny’s concerned voice was cut off by the closing of the door. 

He got into the SUV and sat, forehead on the steering wheel. If there was a God, he or she hated him. He cued up the mic and said, “Missouri, I’m heading to the house. Call me if you need anything.”

“Ten-four, Sheriff. Are you alright?” Leave it to Missouri. The woman was a Goddamn psychic.

“Yeah, just a headache,” Dean lied. Or maybe he wasn’t. His temples were starting to pound.

“You take care of yourself, boy. Jody and Jesse are out patrolling and Garth is here doing paperwork. We got it covered.”

“Thanks.” He clicked the mic and set it back in its clip on the dash. He rubbed his face with both hands and then started the vehicle. He knew his three deputies could handle just about anything that came up. As he pulled onto Main Street, he turned up the volume and classic rock blared from the speakers. He’d added satellite radio at his own expense and never regretted it. The closest station was spotty even on a good day and the SUV didn’t have a cassette player like the Impala. SiriusXM was the only way to go. He sang along with Guns N’ Roses, refusing to think about  _him_ … at least until he got some alcohol in his system.

When he stopped in front of his house, he didn’t look north. He didn’t want to know if the famous writer was home. He slammed the door and pocketed the keys. Fuck. Shit… damn. He’d slept with a celebrity and he hadn’t even known it.

Inside, he took off his boots and went straight to the kitchen. He cradled the Jack Daniels like an old lover and sank to the floor. Taking a swig out of the bottle, he leaned his head back against the cabinet. 

One year… no, eleven months. The National Sheriffs’ Association held their conference in LA. He wanted to go so he could let off some steam. Crowley, the cheap bastard, didn’t think the town should pay for it, so he’d put it on his personal credit card. 

_Dean left the hotel after declining dinner with a few other sheriffs. He was in a town where no one knew his name_ _… where he could be whoever he wanted to be._

_The place wasn’t what he expected. There were no gyrating_ _twinks_ _or half-naked men on the dance_ _floor_ _. In fact, the men were mostly in suits or business casual. Dean felt underdressed in his jeans, cowboy boots and plaid button-down. Yelp had given this club a high rating though. Unwilling to call his Uber driver back, he strode to the bar, trying to look more confident than he felt._

_The bartender was stunning and he flirted with Dean after he’d handed him a beer. Dean turned on his charm. When he left to go wait on someone else, a deep voice said, “He’s married and while friendly, he doesn’t cheat.” Dean spun around to face whoever dared to invade his personal space. The man was fucking gorgeous. Dark hair that looked like a day spent in bed, sexy stubble that would leave a rash on your thighs, not an ounce of fat… Dean stopped himself._

_“You his husband?” Dean’s tone was cold._

_“No.”_

_“Then I don’t think it’s any of your business,” Dean growled._

_The man tilted his head, studying Dean like a bug under a microscope. “He and his husband are friends... so you see…”_

_Dean interrupted. “He looks like he can take care of himself. I doubt he needs a keeper.” God, he sounded like a douche. The bartender was married. Dean should have just nodded, said thanks, and moved on._ _He’d do that now. Slamming his beer on the bar, he pushed off the stool._

_The dude was looking down his nose at Dean. “I’m not his keeper and yes, he can take care of himself. I just didn’t want someone as pretty as you wasting his time.”_

_He knew he was gaping like a fuckin’ goldfish, but he couldn’t help it. The man ha_ _d_ _balls, he’d give him that. Dean watched as he casually lifted his glass and shot back the clear liquid. Tequila? Vodka? Dean’s focus shifted to the way the man’s Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed. The motherfucker knew Dean was watching because he smirked, set down his glass, and stood. He was only an inch or so shorter than Dean. “I, on the other hand, am very much available.” He tossed a few bills onto the bar and for the life of him, Dean couldn’t find his voice. “If you’re interested.”_

_Without waiting for Dean’s response, he walked away. His pants hugged his ass like they were painted on. He was at the door. Fuck him._ _Arrogant son of a bitch_ _._

_Dean’s feet were moving before he fully understood what he was getting himself into._

Why had the son of a bitch moved to Cooper? To Dean’s town? Why? Years of police training made Dean suspicious of all strangers and Castiel Novak was a stranger. One night of mind-blowing sex didn’t change that fact. They didn’t even exchange names. He took another drink and set the bottle between his legs. How did he find out where Dean lived? And what the hell was his game? Had he gone through Dean’s wallet while he was taking a piss? Head back, staring at his ceiling, Dean’s mind spun. He’d tracked Dean down, bought the property next to his, and was making everyone in town like him. “Damn, Winchester, you sound like Frank.” The old sheriff loved seeing conspiracies in everything. “Next, you’ll be looking for the UFO that brought him here.” And  _now_ he was talking to himself.

Several belts of Jack later, Dean made up his mind. He’d confront the bastard. Then he’d tell the guy to pack his shit and get out of town. He was the sheriff, _goddammit._  He could do that. “Dumbass,” he muttered and staggered to his feet. This wasn’t the Wild West. Looking down at his gun belt, he’d forgotten to remove, he mumbled, “I could just shoot him.” His bark of laughter was laced with a hint of hysteria.

The sun was setting and Dean finally made it out of his uniform. In jeans and boots, he walked out to the barn. His horses nickered their welcome and he stood at the fence as they ambled across the pasture toward him. “Hey, kids, you have a good day?”

Maggie May, his big bay, butted her head against his chest. Despite his earlier panic and subsequent ride on the crazy train, he laughed at her antics. “No apples tonight, girl.” She huffed and stomped her hoof. “You are so spoiled,” he whispered into her ear, lightly scratching her nose.

“Come on. It’s bedtime.” He walked to the double doors and clicked his tongue until the four of them were inside. Feeling calmer, he checked their water and latched their stall doors. With a pat for each of them, he shut the barn.

In the distance, he saw lights from the old Sim’s place. “Your days are numbered, Novak,” he said bitterly. He’d kept that part of him a secret from the good folks of Cooper. He wasn’t about to have a repeat of Dallas. He couldn’t move again. He couldn’t leave Sam and his family. It would kill him.

In the shower, he let those horrible memories surface. He’d been stupid. He’d thought his partner and the rest of the police department had his back. They did until they found out he liked dick. Dean never really hid it, but he didn’t broadcast it either. He’d assumed Gordon knew he was bi.  _Then it happened_. 

The guy he was seeing was staying over for the weekend. They’d just gone a round of heated sex when the doorbell rang. Dean slipped on a pair of sweats and answered it. Gordon was standing there with a six pack. He’d slapped Dean’s naked stomach and mentioned watching the game. His lover strolled out of the bedroom, wearing nothing but a towel. Dean didn’t remember what he said, but he’d called Dean ‘honey’. God, he hated that pet name. Gordon’s face hardened and he sneered at Dean. The word faggot had been hurled and then the door slammed. By the time Dean got to work the next Monday, it was all over the detective division… probably the entire department. Gordon requested a new partner and no one else wanted to work with him. 

The water grew cooler and Dean turned off the tap. He’d only stayed a few more weeks. Thankfully, Sammy told him about the deputy position and the rest was history. Nobody was going to fuck this job up for him.

Once Castiel was over his panic attack and breathing normally again, he drove home. The wind in his hair didn’t give him the wild feeling it usually did. Seeing him… the sheriff… ruined his plans of exploring the town and buying groceries. Unease settled over him.

It wasn’t until he passed the property bordering his that it hit him. Chuck had said the sheriff, Dean Winchester, was his neighbor. That meant the gorgeous man he’d spent the night with… the man he’d picked up in a gay bar… the man who’d willingly spread his legs…  _that man_ … that man was the sheriff. Could his life be any worse? Gone was the image of a portly, older man, in its stead was the vision of the Adonis he'd had sex with.

Inside the safety of his house, Castiel fell onto the couch and groaned. He had to talk to someone. Stacie? No, he hadn’t even told her about the interview yet… and she wasn’t happy about his move to ‘East Jesus Nowhere’. He blew out a frustrated breath.

With an exaggerated sigh, he tugged his phone out of his back pocket and called Gabriel. “Hello, Little Brother of Mine. How’s life in Montana? Meet any hot cowboys?”

“I live in Wyoming, Gabriel,” Castiel huffed out in annoyance.

“Wherever. So, about those cute cowboys?” His brother was strangely fascinated by Castiel’s love life. Straight as a ruler, Gabriel was an enigma. Then again, the man owned a huge pornographic film empire. 

“Gabriel, I need to talk. I would appreciate it you just listened.”

“Are you okay?” Gabriel’s voice was suddenly filled with concern. Despite his teasing, his brother had always been Castiel’s rock.

“Yes… no.” Castiel raked his fingers through his hair. “Fuck if I know.”

“You’re scaring me, Cassie.” Hearing the childhood nickname steadied his nerves.

“Last year, before I decided to move… I was in a bad place.”

“I know,” Gabriel said softly. He was over Mick’s death, but the man’s parents were calling him constantly, saying awful things. His eighth book was at a standstill and the deadline was fast approaching. Added to that, the negotiations with the movie studio was in full swing. It had been almost too much for him.

“I was lonely…” Castiel whispered, thinking back to that night. “I went to Zar’s to get a drink and… and I hit on this guy. I didn’t even ask his name. He… we didn’t talk much.” Gabriel had been to Balthazar's club enough with Castiel that he didn’t have to stop to give details. And thankfully, Gabriel stayed quiet. “I knew he was in town for some sort of conference… and I’d never see him again.” He paused and he heard Gabriel’s swift intake of breath.

“Castiel, please don’t tell me you’ve… he gave you…” What? Oh. 

“Christ, Gabriel,” he all but shouted. “No. Just… no. He was some random hookup. Do you think I’m that stupid?” He sat up and then quickly got to his feet. He'd never have unprotected sex with a stranger. How could Gabriel even... Agitation made him start pacing. 

“Thank God, but why would you bring up a one night stand a year later? Sorry I jumped to conclusions, but, wow, can you blame me?” He sounded both contrite and relieved, so Castiel couldn’t hold it against him.

“Because, that ‘one night stand’ is my neighbor… and the sheriff.”

“Sheriff? Like with a tin star? Please tell me he wears a cowboy hat. And boots… with spurs.”

“Focus,” Castiel snapped.

“Sorry. Focusing now.”

“What am I going to do?”

“Move? And wow, what are the odds? One in a gazillion?”

“I just sank all my savings in this land and house,” Castiel muttered, already looking around the house to see what he could pack first. “And gazillion isn’t a real number.”

“Then bake him some cookies and ask for a rematch.”

Castiel pinched the bridge of his nose. This conversation was giving him a headache. “He’s the fucking sheriff,” Castiel exclaimed, as if that explained everything.

“Soooo, no cookies then… Donuts?”

“Gabriel,” Castiel’s tone should tell his brother that jokes were not appreciated.

“Okay… okay… cool your jets. What is the worst that can happen?”

“Oh, gee, I don’t know. He could run me out of town.”

His brother’s snort of laughter did nothing to alleviate Castiel’s foul mood. Why had he called Gabriel?

“This isn’t the Wild West and unless his name is Wyatt Earp, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. And while we are on the subject, why  _would_ he want to run you out of town? Did you handcuff him to the bed and leave him unsatisfied?”

The question made him stop pacing. Why was he so bent out of shape? It was mutual. Two consenting adults. And from the sounds he made and the evidence on the hotel’s sheets, the sheriff had enjoyed himself. They’d fallen asleep and woke up to do it again. The man had been pliant and Castiel had moved over him, in him. Gabriel’s question pulled him out of his memory.

“Cassie? Please tell me you didn’t leave him handcuffed to a bed.” 

“There were no handcuffs involved,” Castiel stated dryly. It was going to be fine. It was a year ago. He probably wouldn’t even remember Castiel. “Gabriel, I will call you later. Thank you for listening.” He hung up before his brother could respond.

Feeling a hundred percent better, he took a beer out of the fridge. It was his last one, since he’d fled from town before he could stop by Pam’s. On the front porch, he looked toward the sheriff’s house… Dean’s house. The name suited him. He saw movement and from this distance, he barely made out the figure of a man standing among the horses. Leaving his bottle on the railing, he hurried back inside. Sliding to a stop in the middle of the living room, he asked himself what he was doing. Stalking? No, that seemed harsh. Brushing the errant and unwanted thought aside, he found the binoculars in a box stacked in the extra bedroom.

Racing back to the porch, he put them up to his eyes. “Oh…” How had he forgotten how beautiful he was? Shirtless, in low slung jeans, he was the epitome of perfection. His body wasn’t that of a model. His midsection was soft… but Castiel remembered… he’d been ticklish and self-conscious. It was the physique of a real man.

_Castiel_ _had taken a chance and it paid off. He was outside and heading for his car when the gorgeous man from the bar burst through the door. “I’m staying at the Hyatt on Century Boulevard. Room 437.”_

_They’d stared at each other for several seconds, then_ _Castiel_ _nodded and said, “I’ll meet you there.”_

_“Give me thirty minutes._ _” Though he thought the request strange, he nodded again. He was aware of the man watching him as he settled behind the wheel and drove off. He’d had a brief idea to just keep driving and go home, but there was something about_ _him_ _._ _Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on._

_With time to kill, he stopped by the CVS and bought a box of condoms and a small bottle of_ _Astroglide_ _. He parked at the hotel with fifteen minutes to spare._ _Castiel_ _leaned his head back and waited. From where he was, he could see the front entrance. Within two minutes, a white sedan slid to a stop and his… what? Date, hookup, lover – got out of the backseat._ _Castiel_ _watched him walk into the lobby. Damn. The sight of his bowed legs gave_ _Castiel_ _a rush of desire. His imagination took off into a series of_ _sexy_ _images he’d keep in his mind for months to come._

_As the glass doors shut behind him,_ _Castiel_ _saw a plastic grocery bag in his hand. He smiled. He guessed he wasn’t the only one to stop for supplies._

_At the_ _thirty minute_ _mark,_ _Castiel_ _locked his car and entered the lobby. After a quick scan, he located the elevators. In the mirrored cubicle, he stared at his reflection. As usual, his hair was untamed. He hadn’t shaved since yesterday morning,_ _so_ _his_ _stubble_ _was dark. “You’ve come this far, Novak. You can’t back out now.”_

_Standing before Room 437,_ _Castiel’s_ _self-doubt resurfaced. This wasn’t him. He didn’t pick up strangers for one night stands. He hadn’t been with anyone but his right hand since Mick died. He raised his fist to knock, but it froze in mid-air._

_The door opened suddenly and there he was. Green eyes_ _… a smattering of freckles… he hadn’t noticed them in the dim bar. “For someone who was damn cocky at the bar, you sure look like you’re trying to plan an escape.” His expression was guarded, like he expected_ _Castiel_ _to walk away._

_Unwilling to lie,_ _Castiel_ _murmured, “You gave me thirty minutes to doubt myself.”_

_The burst of laughter and the brilliant smile that accompanied it drove_ _Castiel’s_ _doubts deep inside. Just the way his eyes crinkled put the fears to rest. “May I come in?” He stood aside so_ _Castiel_ _could enter the room. An open suitcase was on one of the beds, the other was neatly made. Stupidly, he held out the white CVS bag. “I bought…”_

_Another bark of laughter came from that perfectly shaped mouth. “Me too.” He pointed to the plastic bag setting next to the television.”_

Castiel remembered every minute detail – the conversation, the smell of his skin, the way he moved under him. 

He was walking toward the barn now, the four horses following behind like well-loved canines. When he disappeared inside, Castiel put the binoculars down, eyeing them with distaste. He’d never do that again. He was ashamed of himself. What kind of person spied on their neighbors? He snatched up his beer and went inside. 

Since it was still early, he decided to work on his edits. He hadn’t even opened his laptop since he’d moved in. Another thing that Stacie was going to bitch at him about. He really should call her. He’d take the verbal spanking she’d give him and then they’d go back to being the best of friends. That was the life of a writer and an agent. Instead of doing what he should, he curled up in bed with a book and read for a while, but his mind kept going back to that hotel room. 

It only took a few minutes to relieve the sexual tension. His image stared back at him as he cleaned himself up. “Get him out of your head, Novak,” he said sternly. Still unable to sleep, he sat, back against the headboard, legal pad in hand. An idea was taking shape in his head.

Awaking to intense sunlight, he squinted, groaned and rolled over, burying his face into the pillow. He’d stayed up until the wee hours of the morning… not on his edits, but on the outline of a new novel. It wasn’t even close to the Purgatory Road storyline. This was a romance. And it was stupid. He couldn’t bring himself to throw it away though. Sighing, he knew he had to get up and be productive. There were things that needed to be done. Grumbling and stretching, he stumbled to the bathroom. After brushing the disgusting stale beer-flavored coating off his teeth he grimaced at his reflection, he said, “That will teach you to go to bed without taking care of personal hygiene.” 

Dressed in a pair of black yoga pants, he strolled into the kitchen. Coffee was already brewing and he thanked the gods for automatic appliances. He spent a few minutes enjoying his morning brew and watching a few birds playing outside the window. This living in the country thing had its moments.

In his bedroom, he rolled out his mat and sat down. He arranged his long legs in the Lotus position and cleared his mind. His breathing slowed and he moved into the Child Pose. Peace settled over him and slowly he lifted his feet to the sky. The Adho Mukha Vrksasana was his favorite. Eyes closed, he pointed his toes upward.

The banging startled him and he almost toppled over. Frowning at the clock on his nightstand, he got to his feet. Who would be visiting at nine o’clock on a Saturday morning?

Whomever it was, they were very persistent. The knocking had not subsided and had grown more forceful. As he hurried to the door, he glanced out the window. A sleek, black car was parked in front of his house.

Castiel swung the door open.  _Shit_. It was him… and he looked pissed. Did he know Castiel was spying on him? “Sheriff?” He tried to sound confident, but the word came out as a high-pitched squeak.

Dean woke to a pounding headache. Bad memories and good whiskey weren’t the best combination. Damn Castiel Novak for moving into his town and dragging up shit that was best left dead and buried. He pulled on a pair of jeans and stood scratching his belly while the coffee brewed. Saturdays, Dean did his chores around the house and barn, then usually went to Sam’s to hang out with his brother and the kids. Today, he felt out of sorts. 

He took his coffee to the front porch and looked at the barn. The horses needed to be fed and let out to pasture. The stalls had to be cleaned and the latch on the gate was getting loose. Yawning and cursing under his breath, he downed the caffeine and grabbed a t-shirt. Once he’d pulled on his socks and boots, he was mostly awake. 

As he walked across the grass toward the barn, he added more to his list. The Impala’s oil needed to be changed. And he needed to ride the fence line between his property and Alastair’s land. The rich asshole didn’t care if the thing fell down, but Dean didn’t want his horses anywhere near that fucker. The dude was creepy as fuck. 

The barn smelled of hay and horseflesh. He inhaled, but even the horses’ greetings didn’t shake the feeling of impending doom. He measured out the grain and then while they were eating, he opened the doors. They’d meander out when they were good and ready. He turned the hose on and watched as fresh water filled the stock tank. Something blinded him and he squinted. The sun was reflecting off Novak’s windshield. What the hell did he drive? Whatever it was, it was small and red. He remembered the little sports car. His temper flared. With a sharp twist, he turned off the spigot. 

He didn’t have a plan, but by the time he’d grabbed the keys to his baby, he’d worked himself up to a full-on temper tantrum. The short drive didn’t give him enough time to think he was being stupid. 

Novak’s car did turn out to be that foreign job that was too fucking small for Wyoming winters. Shit, he didn’t even drive the Impala when the snow built up over a few inches. Dumb fuckin’ city boy. He added that to the list of shit he hated about Novak. And that name. Castiel. What the fuck was with that? "Made up hippy shit," he growled.

Using the side of his fist, he began to bang on the door. “Come on, asshole. I know you’re in there,” he muttered under his breath. Later, he’d blame the alcohol induced headache.

After a full minute of knocking, the door swung open and Dean forgot to breathe. His naked torso made the months disappear and Dean was back in that hotel room. “Sheriff?” The gravelly voice he remembered had been replaced with a squeak that made Dean’s skin erupt in gooseflesh. Why was he here? Why… It came back to him with a vengeance.

“I don’t know what your game is, Novak, but you listen and you listen good. This is my town. You don’t belong here.” A bead of sweat began to run down the center of Novak’s chest and Dean’s eyes locked on it like a laser guidance system. 

“Sheriff, I’m not sure…”

 “Did you come here to fuck with me? Because if you did, I’ll fucking bury you.” The bead of sweat reached the man’s navel and disappeared inside. Dean licked his lips. What was he saying? 

“I moved to Cooper to write and be left alone,  _Sheriff_.” Boy, did he have a way of making Dean’s title sound repulsive. “If I’d known you were the resident jackass, I wouldn’t have set foot…”

It happened so fast. One second, the man was giving him a look like he was dog shit on his shoe and the next, they were crashing against the door, hands locked in hair… tugging, and God, his mouth…

Dean’s hand reached for and found Novak’s half-hard cock through those ridiculous pants. He remembered the taste of it… and fuck, the way it felt inside of him. Novak was rutting into his palm. He couldn’t breathe. The harsh sound of a zipper made his movements stop, but only for a second as Novak’s tongue plunged into his mouth. Someone whimpered… it  _had_  to be Novak.

Warm fingers dug into his jeans and he gasped when they found their target. He grunted at the first rough pull on his hard cock, but he was giving as good as he got. Novak’s dick was slick and the smell of sex touched Dean’s nostrils. He was fucking into Novak’s fist now… faster and faster. “Fuck… fuck… argh…” Dean’s orgasm left him weak and breathless, but he had to get the other man off. Common curtesy or pride, he didn’t know which, but it became a need. Novak jerked and gasped, and Dean felt cum coating his hand. When he had time to think about it, he’d probably be embarrassed at the speed in which he’d come.

The high dissipated as fast as it came and he backed away, wiping his hand on his jeans. Novak looked shell-shocked. Dean figured he looked the same. He swallowed and moved further away. “You… this… stay the fuck away from me.” Dean spun and zipped his jeans. Shaking his head, he stepped off the porch. This was crazy. He was shaking when he got to the car. Something made him look back and Novak was leaning heavily against the door jamb, his stupid pants down low enough to show the thick bush Dean had once buried his nose in. He didn’t want to see his face, but the fucker must have some sort of magnetic pull. Blue eyes, the color of the Wyoming sky, stared at him and they were filled with confusion. “Don’t… please don’t tell anyone,” Dean implored. 

He slammed the door, turned the key, and tires spun as he sped for home. In his driveway, he brought his fist down on the steering wheel. “Fuck,” he screamed. It was loud enough that the horses looked up from their grazing. 

To get the morning out of his mind, Dean worked until his body ached. He was filthy and hot. His phone rang and he wiped the sweat off his brow as he slid his thumb over the screen. “Hey.”

“Don’t sound so enthusiastic, man.” Sam’s teasing voice made him sink down on the grass, his back to the barn wall.

“Sorry, just tired.”

“What have you been doing? Eileen thought you’d be here by now.”

“Yeah. Look, I got caught up in a few things around here. Can I get a raincheck?”

“Sure.” There was a pause and then Sam asked,” Are you okay?”

“Course… just tired and achy. Think I’ll take a long, hot shower and have a beer or two.”

“Alright. I’ll tell the kids they can come visit you tomorrow. Tommy wants you to take him riding.” Dean smiled wanly at the thought. 

“That will be great. I’ll make a cowboy out of him yet.” He listened to Sam talk about his week at the clinic and Jenna’s newest word, but he didn’t offer much in return. If Sam noticed, he didn’t mention it.

An hour later, he stepped out of the shower and looked in the mirror. “You fucked up, Winchester,” he told his reflection. Frowning, he got dressed and tried to decide what he had in the house to eat. Sundays, he usually drove over to Riverton to shop at the Walmart Supercenter and anything he needed during the week, he picked up at Pam’s. Since he ate at Sam’s on Saturdays, he was short some groceries. He stared at the contents of the fridge and sighed before closing it. Nothing looked good. 

Inside the pantry, he found a can of tomato soup and decided on that and a grilled cheese. Comfort food was what he needed. 

After eating, he cleaned up the kitchen and then dropped down on the couch. He was picking up the remote when someone knocked at the door. His heart began to race. Novak? No, surely he wouldn’t be stupid enough…  _Get a grip, Winchester_.

Lisa smiled at him from the doorway and held up a six-pack. “Hello, Hot Stuff.” 

“What are you doing here?” Dean asked and winced at the tone of his voice. Her smile disappeared.

“I was heading back from Daddy’s and saw your car. I  _thought_  I’d surprise you.” 

“God, I’m sorry, Lisa. I’m just tired and cranky. Come on in,” he said, gesturing for her to enter. She strolled past and he couldn’t help looking at her ass in those tight jeans. Maybe she was what he needed right now.

She went straight to the fridge and put the beer inside after pulling two from the carton. She handed him one after using the opener hanging next to the cabinet. “What has you so cranky?” She asked, coming closer and running her hand up his chest.

“Not enough sleep… too much work around here… you know how it is,” he said, circling her waist with his arm and brushing her lips with a light kiss. She reciprocated by sticking the hand that wasn’t holding the beer into his back pocket.

“Maybe you just need a massage and me,” she teased, sucking on his neck. He broke apart, startling her. 

“Sounds good. Yeah, let me finish my beer.” She narrowed her eyes, but nodded and followed him to the couch. As she went to sit down beside him, he angled his body and brought his knee up to rest on the cushion. “You talk to Jody about our little artist?”

“What?”

“You know, the person who drew the dick on Ash’s back door.”

“Oh, right.” She laughed. “I gave Jody a list of the kids I thought were pretty good. You actually think it was a student from the high school?”

Dean shrugged and took a sip from his beer. “You got any better ideas? I can’t see an adult sneaking around town drawing pictures of pink dicks on businesses. Can you?”

“I guess not,” she murmured, her hand coming to rest on his leg. He looked down at it. Why didn't he feel like taking what she was offering? She was hot and great in bed. He lowered his leg and pulled her against him. Her mouth opened under his and he deepened the kiss. His hand cupped her breast and he moaned when he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra. Grazing his thumb over her nipple, he broke the kiss and tugged her onto his lap. Slowly, he unbuttoned her shirt, revealing her small, but perfect tits. She reached between his legs and he froze. He wasn’t even hard. “Someone needs to catch up,” she whispered and deftly unsnapped his jeans. 

He watched as she slid off his lap and onto the floor, kneeling between his legs. Smiling seductively at him, she made short work of the zipper. His pulse was racing, but he wasn’t turned on. Not in the least. “Lisa…”

Before he could get another word out, she reached inside his pants and found his soft dick. “You must be really tired. Let’s see if I can wake you up.” She rose on her knees and was lowering her mouth and he couldn’t… he just couldn’t.

“Lisa. Stop.” Her gaze flew to his.

“What’s going on?” Then she stood up, unending one of the beers on the coffee table. Both ignored it. “This is about Anna isn’t it? Did you finally decide to give her what she wants? Exclusive Dean Winchester? Jesus, I’ve been so fucking stupid.” She flung her hair back and started buttoning her shirt.

“Lisa, no… Anna has nothing to do with this.” He stood, uncaring that his fly was gaping open. “I’m just not in the mood.” And  _d_ _idn’t_  that sound lame?

“Right. You expect me to believe that? Fuck you, Dean. Just… fuck you.” She spun on her heel and he winced at the sound of his front door slamming shut. Her truck’s engine roared as she floored it. 

“Shit.” He sat back down on the couch and put his head in his hands. His life was spiraling out of control. He wanted to blame Novak, but he knew better. All this was on him. The people of Cooper weren’t like the cops in Dallas. They opened their arms to everyone – gay, straight, rich, poor, Christian, or Atheist. One of his own deputies was gay and happily married. Hell, Jesse and his husband were getting ready to plant a baby in some woman’s body. The man was practically walking on air these days. Why can’t he just…

“No.” He shook his head. His father, the great John Winchester, would roll over in his grave. He raised a ‘real man’. And the town might be progressive and true blue politically, but how would Crowley handle having a sheriff that could suck dick like a pro? “No,” he repeated to the empty room. 


	3. Chapter 3

“I don’t know what your game is, Novak, but you listen and you listen good. This is my town. You don’t belong here,” the sheriff spat. Castiel could almost see the tension coming off him in waves. This was not good. 

“Sheriff, I’m not sure…” 

“Did you come here to fuck with me? Because if you did, I’ll fucking bury you.” That was it. Castiel wasn’t going to roll over and just take this verbal abuse. The man had no right to come to his house and threaten him. Was he really arrogant enough to think Castiel moved to Wyoming, of all places, to find him? The asshole couldn’t even make eye contact… wait, was he staring at Castiel's chest? 

“I moved to Cooper to write and be left alone,  _Sheriff_.” He flung out the last word, hoping the man could hear his revulsion. “If I’d known you were the resident jackass, I wouldn’t have set foot…” 

Looking back at it, long after the sheriff spun out of his driveway, Castiel wasn’t sure who’d moved first. One minute they are staring daggers at each other and the next, they were giving each other rough handjobs in the doorway of his house. Castiel let a hysterical giggle escape. It was a good thing he didn’t live in the suburbs or his neighbors would have gotten quite the show. 

Once he’d had time to dissect the sheriff’s behavior, he come to a few conclusions. A – the man was a closet case, and B – crazy as it was, Castiel still wanted the uptight Dean Winchester. The look on his face when he told Castiel not to tell anyone was filled with anguish. He’d even said  _please_. Yes, definitely a  man hiding who he really was.  

“You’re stupid,” he told his image in the bathroom mirror. “Why want something you cannot have?” No, he didn’t need that kind of trouble in his life, even if he was beautiful. Dean Winchester was a complication and he’d moved to Wyoming to get away from complications. 

He dressed quickly and headed into town. If he wanted to eat tonight, he’d need some groceries. Tomorrow, he’d get up early and drive to Riverton. He found the Walmart on Google Maps and he planned to stock up.  

Pam greeted him warmly and once he’d gotten a few necessities, he chatted with her at the register. “Saw your picture in the paper. You’ve got the whole town talking.” 

Narrowing his eyes, he growled, “Talking? About what? That I’m gay? Or maybe that I’m…” He bit the sentence off when he saw her face. “I’m sorry. I just…” He lifted his hands in supplication.  

“No one cares that you’re gay, Castiel, unless it’s the lonely single female population. They are interested in you, that’s all. You’re new in town. No one really cares that you write books or dig ditches… you’re just a new face. Some of us just want to be friends.” She said the last part with a hint of bitterness and he knew he had to apologize. 

“Pam, I really am sorry. I’ve just had a bad morning and taking it out on you was unkind. You were one of the first people I met here and you made me feel welcome…  _and_  part of the town. I hope you can forgive me, because I’d really like to call you my friend.” 

She leaned her hip against her counter and crossed her arms. “With those baby blues and that handsome face, bet you’re used to people falling all over you.”  _Ah_ , she was going to make this hard. He was okay with that. 

“Not really. In LA, I was just one of the many trying to make it. I learned a long time ago, looks don’t mean anything. I think the way you treat people goes a lot further in the whole scheme of things.” 

Pam’s stance relaxed and he smiled tentatively. “Am I forgiven?” 

“I suppose so. But you owe me,” she said. “ _Now_ , you gonna pay for this stuff?” 

He gladly handed over his debit card and gathered his bags. “Would you forgive me if I wrote you into my next book?” 

Her eyes lit up and she gushed, “Oh, my God, you’d do that? Can I be something really cool? Like maybe a psychic or maybe a goddess… mysterious and pretty.” 

Castiel laughed. “That sounds like the perfect character for you. I’ll see what I can do.” He wanted to ask her about the sheriff, but what would that solve? They might be neighbors, but that was it. The man had made it very clear, he wanted Castiel to stay away from him. He could manage that. 

Satisfied that Pam had forgiven him, he took his groceries to the car. Instead of driving straight home, he cruised down Main Street. The real estate office was closed, as was the bank. Despite most of the businesses being closed, Saturdays were bustling. People walked down the sidewalks, stopping in groups to chat. He took a right and found himself by the feed store and Winchester Veterinary Clinic. Was the name a coincidence? It, too, was closed for the weekend, but there was an emergency number on the sign. 

If he got a dog for company, he’d probably be visiting the place. He turned around in the parking lot since the road continued into a housing area. As he turned onto the highway toward home, he cursed Dean Winchester for screwing up all his plans yesterday. He’d wanted to find a handyman to build those stupid bookcases. Now, he’d have to wait until Monday. He drove past the sheriff’s driveway and because he was feeling out of sorts, he flipped him off.  _Yes_ , it was childish, but he didn’t care. 

He put away the food, which mainly consisted of beer, Coke, orange juice, pork rinds, and frozen pizza. Sitting down at the dining room table, he opened his shopping list app and typed in everything he needed. Fifteen minutes later, he was prepared for his trip to Riverton tomorrow. 

With a heavy sigh, he called Gabriel. His brother left him over a dozen messages since they talked. After his impromptu handjob with the sheriff, he wasn’t looking forward to talking with Gabriel. The man was like a bloodhound when it came to getting information out of Castiel. He placed the call and kept the conversation casual as he could. Yes, he was fine… and no, he had not seen the sheriff… and of course, Castiel was going to be neighborly. He hated lying and knew he wasn’t good at it, but Gabriel couldn’t see the way his eyes twitched and hands fidgeted. 

The pizza was in the oven and he’d just popped the cap off a beer when Stacie called. Time for him to come clean… sort of. “Calling your favorite author on a Saturday afternoon? Your life must have hit the skids.” He knew better, Stacie was happily married to a nice guy named Todd, who served in the military.  

“Todd is out with the boys doing some manly stuff,” she muttered. Castiel knew Stacie’s husband, an avid mountain biker, was probably on a trail somewhere with a bunch of his Air Force buddies. Stacie might roll her eyes and bitch about him, but he envied her marriage. 

"Speaking of manly stuff…” Castiel paused dramatically. 

“Here it comes… what did you do? Please tell me you aren’t already in love with some cowboy named Billy Bob.” 

“Definitely not,” Castiel said indignantly. “I couldn’t fall in love that fast.” Her laughter made him smile. “I did, however, do an interview with the local paper.” 

“What?” She squawked. “I leave you alone for one week and you go running your mouth to some reporter. Christ on a crutch, Novak.” He winced at her use of his last name. 

“In my defense, he isn’t just  _some reporter_. He’s the editor, the owner, and he may run the presses too. The Cooper Tribune is really small.” 

“And even the smallest of papers can get picked up by the A.P.” She hummed and he heard the clacking of her keyboard. “The Cooper Tribune… hold on…” He knew she was looking on Google. He tried to imagine Chuck with an online presence and almost laughed. 

While she was busy, it seemed like the perfect time to confess his other crime. “Oh, I had a one night stand last year and guess what… he’s the sheriff of Cooper. Small world, huh?” 

There was dead air and he was ready to hang up, thinking he’d lost her, when she spoke, her voice sounding tired. “Castiel, please tell me this is just your warped sense of humor.” 

“Warped? That’s harsh.” 

“A ha.” He took the phone away from his ear at her loud exclamation. “Nice picture…’the unassuming man just wants to fit in…” She mumbled as she finished reading the article. When she was done, she sighed. “Okay, you’re forgiven for the interview. But Castiel, just say a prayer that Mick’s parents don’t see this.” Fuck, he hadn’t thought of that.  

“Now, back to your little indiscretion… the seduction of the local sheriff. Is this going to be a problem?” 

“I didn’t seduce the sheriff. I didn’t even know who or what he was. Like I said, one night stand, and the risk of sounding crass, we just fucked. We didn’t friend each other on Facebook and trade phone numbers. We didn’t even trade names.” 

“Slut,” she shouted a little  _too_  gleefully. Then she sobered again. “He won’t cause problems, will he?” 

“He’s so deep in the closet, he could suck Aslan’s dick,” Castiel said ruefully. 

“Well, that’s a visual I didn’t need. So, no chance of a romance then?” 

“Not in this lifetime. Alas, he will not be my dearest Billy Bob.” Her burst of laughter made him grin. Warped sense of humor be damned. 

They bantered back and forth until Todd got home. Before he said goodbye, he promised her he’d have the editing done by his birthday in mid-September.  

The sun was setting when he took his beer and the forbidden binoculars out on the porch. A dark blue pickup was parked behind the sheriff’s SUV. The beautiful Impala he’d got to see this morning was nowhere to be seen. Castiel figured it must be in the large shed behind the house. 

A light was on and he could make out two figures. He adjusted the focus and saw the sheriff and a brunette. He might be a nosy bastard, but he sure as hell wasn’t a pervert. He was about to lower the binoculars when the woman appeared on the front porch and the slamming of the door echoed in the peaceful night air. A minute later, the truck was speeding down the driveway toward the main road. People in Cooper really seemed to like dramatic exits. 

Unwilling to think about his neighbor anymore, he wound up in his office, typing the first chapter for the stupid romance that wouldn’t leave him alone. 

 

Sunday dawned clear and extra bright to Dean’s tired eyes. Hungover and still upset about Lisa’s visit, he went about his morning chores. Horses fed, he rolled the lawnmower out of the shed and checked the gas. Satisfied it was enough to cut the small patch of grass around the house, he got on and turned the key. 

Halfway through, he was sweating like a whore in church and pulled his t-shirt over his head. He wiped his brow with it before sending it sailing toward the porch. A flash of red caught his attention and his eyes narrowed. The stupid sports car that belonged to  _him_  was zooming by. He had half a mind to call one of his deputies and have the dude stopped for speeding. “Fuck him,” he muttered.  

In the shower, lukewarm water pounding against his back, he let his head fall forward. Closing his eyes, he let his mind wander. Lisa… he’d really pissed her off. He’d give her a call and ask her to come over this afternoon. She could bring Ben. Her son was a great kid. He loved to ride. They could all go… then she could stay for supper. He’d text Sam to bring enough food for two more. Having Ben there, along with his brother’s family would act as a buffer. Maybe she’d forgive him. 

With that problem solved, he picked up the bar of soap and began to wash the sweat and grime off his skin. He ran a lathered hand over his balls and then up the length of his cock. He smiled thinking about the last time Lisa had given him a blow job. 

 _They’d been in the Impala, coming back from a movie in Riverton. She’d leaned over and started rubbing her hand against his crotch. He’d laughingly pulle_ _d_ _her hair_ _, telling her no, but she’d been adamant about giving him road head. God, she sucked him like a pro._  

Dean’s hand moved faster, up and down his hard cock, eyes closed… 

 _He’d moaned when the man stepped forward and kissed him. He relished the feel of_ _stubbled_ _skin. He’d missed this… strong arms holding him, a mouth that knew just how to turn him on… deep voice telling him what to do…_  

 _There were no romantic notions. They’d undressed and Dean lowered himself to the mattress, settling on his hands and knees. Slick fingers got him ready and then_ _the_ _slow slide of a dick filling him… stretching him… fucking him._ _S_ _o good._  

 _He’d expected a quick fuck, but the dude had stamina and he was attentive. He’d used his hand to work Dean into a needy mess, all the while, kissing and sucking bruises on his shoulders. When he’d come, he’d almost passed out. That had been a first._  

Dean’s hand was a blur as he jerked himself off. He was close, balls tight against his body. He heard a rushing sound in his ears and white heat coiling in his belly. He cried out and slapped his palm against the tiled wall to keep from falling as his knees buckled. His breath was harsh and loud over the sound of the water. He stared down at his cum swirling down the drain. 

Wrenching the tap, he growled. He’d gotten himself off to images of Castiel Novak. He stepped onto the mat and slammed the shower door so hard the glass rattled. Snatching up his towel, he banished those memories.  

It took him a while to calm down enough to call Lisa. Her voice had been cold until he’d asked her to come for dinner and bring Ben for a horseback ride. He’d have to work for it if he wanted to get into her pants again. And he did. Sex with her… with a woman… would push the unwanted images of Novak out of his mind. 

Sam, Eileen and the kids arrived at three and Dean stepped into the role as favorite uncle with ease. Jenna toddled around the freshly mown yard while the adults sat at the picnic table under the old cottonwood tree. Tommy was out by the fence talking to the horses. 

When the familiar blue truck turned off the main road, both Sam and Eileen frowned. “Come on, guys. What did you think I meant when I said bring enough for two more mouths?” Neither of them liked Lisa because  _they_   _didn’t think she was_ _the one_ _for Dean_. “Can you just pretend? For me?” 

Both gave tight nods and his sister-in-law mumbled something that included the word bitch, but smiled when Lisa and Ben got out of the truck. Ben ran to him, wrapping his arms around Dean’s waist. “Thanks for letting me come, Mr. Dean.” 

“Anytime, buddy. You ready to ride?” Lisa moved closer and he gave her a soft peck on her cheek. 

“I didn’t realize your family would be here,” she whispered and he could tell she wasn’t happy about it. He’d wanted to relax today, but it appeared he’d spend the day trying to keep the peace between the other three adults.  

It took him and Sam about fifteen minutes to saddle up the horses. Eileen wasn’t much of a rider, so she was staying behind with her laptop to work. Dean helped Lisa up on Sweet Caroline, the palomino he’d bought from a stock sale in Casper. Ben was a good rider, and Orion, his appaloosa was gentle and smaller than the rest, so he was a good fit for the boy. He lifted Jenna up to Sam, mounted on Whiskey, then swung Tommy up onto Maggie May’s saddle. He got up behind him and with a click of his tongue, the group started off. 

Dean led the way toward the mountains. It was open country and the horses picked their way over the uneven ground. Ben and Tommy kept a running commentary about the things they saw and asked a steady stream of questions. As they got to an old fence line and turned around, Sam pointed. “Have you met your new neighbor yet? Everyone in town is talking about him. To hear Donna talk, the guy hung the moon.” 

His eyes drifted to Novak’s house. “When did you talk to Donna?” Dean asked, wanting desperately to change the subject. “I thought you were off unnecessary carbs?” Sam constantly harped on Dean about the high calorie coffee drinks and the baked goods Donna sold. 

“She brought Bacon Bits in Friday for a checkup,” Sam answered. 

Dean snorted. “She still has that damn pig?” 

“Damn pig,” Jenna mimicked, earning him a bitchface from Sam. He mouthed the word ‘sorry’. 

Still wearing a frown at Dean’s indiscretion, Sam responded, “Yes, she does.  _Anyway_ , she told me that Missouri was going to ask him to speak at their book club.” Shit, so much for changing the subject. 

“He’ll…” The sound of an engine interrupted Dean’s snide remark and everyone looked up as the red convertible bumped over the uneven driveway. “Dumbass,” Dean muttered. 

“Does he know he won’t be able to drive that little hot rod come winter?” Lisa asked, already dismissing the writer. She’d probably heard through the grapevine the guy was gay. The thought made him frown. If he’d been straight, would Lisa have pursued him? She’d been all over Dean when he’d moved into town. It was no secret that she wanted a father for Ben. Novak probably was rolling in cash since he was some famous writer. What bothered him more, that Lisa would try to hook Novak, or that she’d leave him? Where they the same thing? Confused at the direction his thoughts were going, he nudged Maggie May with his heels. She broke into an easy canter. Tommy squealed in delight.  

It was stupid and selfish for him to expect her to be his when he was seeing Anna… and he couldn’t forget he’d traded handjobs with his neighbor just that morning. What was wrong with him? Was he really that big of a dick? The two women knew about each other… he’d never lied. Never. 

He looked over at Lisa. She was a natural in the saddle. Beautiful. Great in the sack. Why couldn’t he love her? Why couldn’t he love Anna? He didn't want to do this anymore. Dreading the conversation facing him, Dean rested his chin on Tommy's head and sighed. 

Back at the house, Dean, Sam, and Ben took care of the horses. Tommy and Jenna had run to the house to tell their mother about their adventure. Lisa was leaning against the barn watching him, a contemplative expression on her face. 

Sam, sensing something was up, left the barn to join his wife and kids. Dean called out to Ben. “Hey, Ben, can you run up to the house and get a few carrots for the horses? They’re in the fridge.” The boy took off, eager to do anything for Dean. He took Lisa’s hand and pulled her into one of the empty stalls. “Lisa…” 

“You’re forgiven,” she said, drawing his face down to kiss him. He wasn’t going to apologize. He’d just wanted to tell her that he would never be the one for her. Before he could correct the misunderstanding, she continued, “I can come back tonight,” she whispered against his mouth. 

“Mr. Dean?” Damn, the kid was fast. Sparing her a tight smile, he answered the boy and met him at Maggie May’s stall. 

Dinner was grilled burgers, half of them were beef and the remaining were ground turkey. Dean turned up his nose at those and went for the real meat. Conversation was a little stilted since three quarters of the adults didn’t like each other and Dean was tired of keeping a smile in place. Thankfully, the kids kept it from being a silent affair. Lisa’s hand rested on his upper thigh the whole time and he began to dread the talk he had to have with her. 

They cleaned up and then Sam gathered his kids. Dean followed them to their Tahoe and buckled his niece into her carseat while Sam strapped Tommy into his booster. Eileen kissed his cheek and squeezed his hand. “Tell her.” 

“Tell who what?”  

“You don’t love her, Dean,” she signed, instead of speaking. He couldn’t argue with her, so he went with attempted humor. 

“You a psychic or something? Been reading my tea leaves?” 

Her expressive eyes closed and she began to sign. “Dean, you’re my brother and I love you. You deserve to be happy.” Instead of responding, he hugged her and waved to Sam.  

His gaze remained on the SUV until the taillights disappeared. Lisa came up behind him, hooking her fingers in his belt loops. “I’m going to drop Ben off with Dad and then I’ll be back,” she said. Before stepping away, she swatted his ass playfully. 

Dean knew Ben was inside watching television, and knew it was now or never. “Lisa, we need to talk.”  _God, Winchester, could you be more original_?  

Her face became a cool mask and she moved away from him. He held up his hands in a placating manner. “Before you get all riled up, this isn’t about Anna. I just… we aren’t ever…”  _Christ_ , this was hard. 

“You’re fucking kidding me,” she shouted, her voice shrill. “What was today all about? I thought you invited us to apologize.” She stopped, fists clenched at her side. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what. “If you break up with me now, that will be it, Dean Winchester. Don’t even think about crawling back to me.”  

Dean was good at reading people. He’d been a great detective. Reading people was second nature. He didn’t see hurt in her eyes, it was anger. She didn’t _love_ him.  

“I… yeah. Lisa, look, you deserve someone who’ll love you… and Ben. I can’t be that person. Can you see us together for the long haul, Lisa? You don’t really love me.” 

Different emotions played over her face and without another word, she turned and walked away. She went to the door and called to Ben. Dean didn’t follow. He stayed by the pasture fence and for the second time that night, he watched taillights disappear. 

 

 Riverton’s Walmart was a shopping mecca. It was crowded, very crowded. He’d never stepped foot inside one of the stores. In LA, he’d shopped at the upscale grocery near his home or the Safeway a few miles down the road. His clothing came from specialty shops or online. Thirty minutes in and his cart was already half full and he hadn’t even got to the food section yet. 

A pair of cowboy boots were proudly perched on top of a box containing a grill that promised smokehouse flavor and easy assembly. He pushed the cart towards the back of the store.  _Dairy_. He had to rearrange things, shifting the larger items to the shelf underneath.  _Produce_. He was in heaven. Two hundred and fifty dollars later, he stood by his car, dismayed. How was he going to fit it all in the small two-seater? It took a while, and he was riding down the highway with a bag of cantaloupes on his lap. It made shifting gears difficult, but he did it. He knew he looked like a modern-day version of the  _Beverly Hillbillies_  with his passenger seat stacked with boxes and bags, but he wasn't out to impress anyone. 

As he neared his driveway, he saw riders in the distance. He recognized the horses. “Humph,” he grunted. “Sheriff Asshole.” He'd seen the man that morning, shirtless on his riding lawnmower. "Sexy Sheriff Asshole." 

It took him forever to unload the car and put everything away. Out on the porch, the sun sinking in the west, he opened the box. “Easy assembly, my ass,” he whispered in dismay. He carefully took all seventy-five pieces out of the box and set them in organized piles. The smell of meat cooking on an open fire taunted him. He’d only made it to Step Two of the instructions. Scowling, he fantasized about cramming all thirty of the Part G's into the sheriff’s tight ass. One screw at a time. 

Binoculars in hand, he spied on the family barbeque next door. The brunette was there again, along with three children and another couple. The sheriff had a girlfriend then. And the older boy resembled him enough that he could be his son. What was the story? She didn’t live there, so they weren’t married… or were they? His writer’s imagination ran wild. 

 _They were the perfectly imperfect family. They’d married in the church in front of their conservative families. The baby came. Life was good for the happy couple. They had sex three times a week. Then the sheriff went to California and had an illicit affair wit_ _h_ _a man. He confessed his sin over a bottle of Jack Daniels one night and she’d packed her suitcase and the child and went home to mommy. Dean begged her to come home. He loved her. He’d do anything for her. He wore her down because well… just look at him… She agreed to try again, but would not share their marital bed until Dean… until he what?_  

The story fizzled out when Castiel realized he’d been staring at the man this entire time. He swept the binoculars over the others and watched the taller man load up his family. Dean…  _when had he gone from sheriff to Dean_? Dean was helping with the smallest child, securing her into her carseat. He swung back to the brunette and trained the lens on her. She was pretty. Slim and athletic – the right match for her man. 

The large SUV drove off and he couldn’t look away, even when she kissed him. Even when the lump formed in his throat. In one blink of his eyes, things changed. She looked angry. His features were almost blank. Minutes later, Dean was alone and Castiel lowered the binoculars. He was an asshole... invading the privacy of the troubled couple was wrong. 

Leaving all the screws and other parts of the grill on his porch, he slammed the door and lost himself in the new story. 

The sound of metal clanking together woke him the next morning. It was coming from his porch. He quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and crept through the house. Had an animal gotten into the mess he’d left? Were there bears in Wyoming? Mountain lions?  

Silently, he moved one of the blind slats. He inhaled sharply. Dean was kneeling on the porch, the assembled grill next to him. He was tightening one of the thirty Part G's into the handle. What should he do? His question was answered a second later when the man’s baritone broke the silence. “You gonna stare all day or come out and say thank you?” 

Castiel cautiously opened the door. Dean looked up and rolled his eyes. “Do you ever wear a goddamn shirt?” 

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting guests,” Castiel said, trying not to sound too sarcastic. 

“You gonna thank me or not?” He asked, gesturing toward the shiny new grill. 

“Thank you,” Castiel said woodenly. What was the man’s game? 

“I’m guessing, since you left all the pieces strewn around, you aren’t overly handy.” 

“Why are you here? Is today the day you run me out of town?”  

Dean looked toward the mountains, lips pursed. Castiel waited. The other man rubbed the back of his neck, eyes still averted. “I was a dick,” he whispered. 

Unable to resist, Castiel responded, “I’m sorry. I didn’t quite hear that.” 

His head snapped around, a frown marring his gorgeous face. “Really? You’re going to be  _that_ guy?” 

Contrite, Castiel shrugged. “Was that supposed to be an apology?” 

“Maybe,” Dean countered, chin lifting defiantly. 

“Then  _maybe_  I’ll accept it.” 

“Fair enough.” Dean took a step back. “Enjoy your grill.” He turned and headed for the SUV. Castiel suddenly noticed he was wearing jeans, a pressed khaki shirt, and a gun belt. How had he not noticed he was dressed for work? Was he wearing a tin star? He’d always prided himself on his observational skills. Today, he failed. And why was that?  

“Sheriff?” Dean stopped halfway to his vehicle, but he didn’t turn around. 

“Thank you.” He saw the man nod before getting into the SUV. As he watched, Dean started the engine. He stood on the porch next to his assembled grill and watched the enigma that was Dean Winchester drive away. 

Restless after his morning visit, Castiel showered and dressed. It was Monday, so he could get some business done in town.  

Andrea was in her office when he arrived and she greeted him warmly. “How are you enjoying small town living so far?” The conversation was pleasant and she did know someone who could do work around his house. He left with the number of Tim Cain, a retired professor from the University of Wyoming, who was supposedly handy with tools.  

From there, he went to the bank to open an account. He would keep his account in LA because that’s where his royalty checks came, but it would be nice to be able to withdraw cash if he needed it. Miss Milton, a slim redhead, helped him with his needs and when she saw his address, she smiled warmly. “You live next door to Dean, the sheriff. Have you met him yet?” 

She didn’t want to know that sordid story, so he merely returned her smile. “Once or twice.” 

Sighing softly, she looked down at her left hand. “We are dating.” Her face brightened. “I am hoping to announce our engagement soon.”  

Castiel schooled his features. “Really. How nice.” It seemed the town’s sheriff lived an interesting life. Another reason he should stay away from the man. How many others in town warmed Dean's bed? 

Needing gas, he stopped at the local gas station after leaving the bank. He was fascinated by the old place. There were the usual self-service pumps, but nearer to the building were to full-service ones. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen those. There was a garage area with two bays and as he got out of his car, two older men stepped into the sunshine. “Morning,” the more grizzled one said, wiping his hands on a rag. “Can I help you?” 

“I’d like someone to check my oil and tires, if you have time. I recently put a thousand miles on her and she just needs a quick checkup.” 

The other man, moved closer. He was wearing a mechanic’s coverall, with the sleeves pushed up to show muscular, mahogany toned arms. “What? You can’t check your own oil?” 

“Shut up, Rufus,” the other man said snidely. “What my partner is so eloquently trying to say is that…” 

“Any moron can check a goddamn dipstick. Unless that foreign job doesn’t have one.” 

“Don’t mind him, he’s a crazy old coot. Name’s Bobby Singer. You’re the new guy, ain’t you?” He seemed to be studying Castiel intently. Castiel felt like he’d landed in the middle of some old black and white movie, or maybe the Twilight Zone. 

“Yes, Castiel Novak,” Castiel held out his hand and the man shook it. His partner didn’t offer. He just shook his head and went back into the bay.  

“Rufus’ social skills are sketchy at best,” he said and then walked around the Spider. “Does this thing have a dipstick?” At Castiel’s look of surprised concern, the older man laughed. “Just kidding. Give me a few minutes and I’ll have her ready to go.” 

Castiel stepped under the awning of the business, the only spot of shade around except for the bays and he was unwilling to face Rufus’ wrath if he went into his domain. While he waited, he scanned the dilapidated building next door. A crooked wooden sign told him it was Harvelle’s Roadhouse. “That’s Ellen’s place,” Bobby said, noting Castiel’s curiosity. “Best burgers in town. Friday nights get a little wild, but most times, it’s a good place to grab a cold one.” 

He was about to say something polite, but he spied the sheriff’s SUV easing up to the self-service pumps. Dean got out, a pair of dark aviators covering his eyes. He placed a cowboy hat on his head and made eye contact with Castiel. “Cas… Bobby… hot enough for you?” 

Cas? Was Dean talking to him? “Hotter than Lucifer’s balls,” Bobby replied, closing the hood of the Spider. To Castiel, he said, “You’re all set. I’d recommend an oil change in a few weeks though.” 

“Thank you… Bobby.” He hoped it was okay to call the man by his first name. Castiel fished out his wallet and handed over his debit card. Bobby rolled his eyes and disappeared into the station with it. He refused to face Dean, but he was very aware of him. 

“Bobby tell you about Ellen’s burgers?” Damn it. Unable to be rude, Castiel turned to face Dean. 

“Best burgers in town,” he quoted. 

“Damn right. I’m heading there for lunch. You should come try one.” No, Castiel did not need to be around the almost engaged, apparently cheating, closeted sheriff. 

“I have some further business to attend to. Another time perhaps.” 

“You talk like a writer or a college professor. Should have picked up on that when…” he snapped his mouth shut and Castiel wondered if he was going to reference their night in LA. Bobby saved both of them from awkward small talk.  

He gave a sigh of relief when he was in his car, leaving Dean Winchester in his rearview mirror. 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try to get the next couple of chapters done before NashCon. If you are going to be there, you'll have to find me.

Dean wasn’t sure possessed him to drive over to Novak’s house. Even when he slid to SUV to a stop, he didn’t know why he was even there. Huffing, he put the vehicle in reverse, but the strange pile of metal parts on the dude’s porch made him hesitate. He squinted, trying to make out what was written on the cardboard box laying on its side.

Curiosity got the better of him and he got out to look, removing his hat and tossing it to the passenger seat. A grill? Huh… Parts were strewn from one end of the porch to the other, all in carefully organized stacks. Without further thought, Dean skimmed over the directions that had been held in place by an empty beer bottle. He tossed them into the empty box and noticed the screwdriver and wrench. At least the man had tools. It didn’t take him long to put the thing together and as he was attaching the final piece, he noticed the blinds move.

He spoke loud enough for the man behind the window to hear and a few seconds later, Novak was standing in the open doorway. He wondered if the man even owned a shirt. He fought to keep his eyes away from those nice pecs and flat stomach. Their conversation was loaded with tension and damned if the man wasn’t a snarky son of a bitch.

All the way into town, Dean thought of Novak’s voice. Smokey, yet rich. An image of an expensive cigar and a tumbler of expensive Kentucky Bourbon filled Dean’s head. “Thank you.” Simple words, and after all the things Dean had said to him… he knew how hard it must have been for the guy to say them. If the tables were turned, Dean would have bitten off his own tongue before said he was grateful.

Missouri looked up from a book. He saw the author’s name as she closed the cover. She greeted him, but her eyes kept drifting down. Dean rolled his eyes. “Is it really that good?” 

“Lord, yes,” she gushed on and on about it while Dean fixed himself a cup of coffee. Putting together Novak’s grill had made him late, so a trip to Donna’s was out of the question. Jody and Garth came in and joined the Novak fan club and he escaped to his office when he got the chance.

When he was settled at his desk, he pulled Amazon up on his computer. Sam had gotten him one of those fancy reading tablets a few Christmas ago and other than setting it up, he’d never used it. A few minutes later and the screen told him  _Purgatory Road - Wendigo Dawn_  had been sent to his Kindle. He was just curious, that’s all.

It was close to lunch time by the time Dean finished his seemingly endless pile of paperwork. He grabbed his hat and told Missouri he was going to gas up the SUV and have lunch at Ellen’s place. She didn’t even look up from her book. 

As he neared Bobby’s station, he spotted the red convertible. He wasn’t ready to see the man again, but Bobby had already spotted him. He pulled up to the self-service pump and got out. “Cas… Bobby… hot enough for you?”

“Hotter than Lucifer’s balls.” Bobby let the hood of the car drop and he looked at Novak. “You’re all set. I’d recommend an oil change in a few weeks though.”

Dean avoided eye contract and set about filling up his tank. Bobby went inside with Novak’s card and the desire to make conversation overrode his need to keep his distance. “Bobby tell you about Ellen’s burgers?”

“Best burgers in town.” His eyes were so fucking blue. The breeze ruffled his hair and Dean remembered how soft it was…

“Damn right. I’m heading there for lunch. You should come try one.” Shit, what had he done? He couldn’t invite the guy to eat with him. What if someone saw them? What if they started asking questions? The gossip in this town was insane.  _Dean Winchester was having lunch with that hot new writer… he’s gay… wonder if Dean is too_.

“I have some further business to attend to. Another time perhaps.” He should have been happy, but for some reason, he was disappointed. 

“You talk like a writer or a college professor. Should have picked up on that when…” Christ.  _When you were telling me how tight I was… when you were whispering in my ear how beautiful I was…_  

Bobby’s return kept him from making a complete fool out of himself. It was only after Novak drove away that Dean realized he’d called the man Cas. It was too familiar… people would talk…

“City boy doesn’t even know how to check his own oil,” Bobby muttered, adjusting his ball cap. “Not right bright, if you ask me.”

“He’s plenty smart. He’s a writer… his first book is soon to be made into a major motion picture,” Dean quoted from the Amazon website. “A lot of people don’t know anything about cars, it doesn’t mean they're stupid.”

Bobby was staring at him and he felt his face heat up. He’d just defended someone who was supposed to be a stranger… just a new guy in town. “Cas? Is that short for something?”

“Uh… what?”

“You called him Cas. Is it short for something? What is wrong with you, boy? You’re acting like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”

“I…uh… didn’t eat breakfast. Heat must be getting to me. I’m… just… gonna head over to Ellen’s.” He slammed the door and started the engine before Bobby could ask any more questions.

Inside the Roadhouse, Dean sat at the bar. Ellen set a Coke down in front of him. “Your usual?”

“Yeah, thanks, Ellen.” Somehow, she sensed he wasn’t in the mood to talk and left him alone. He ate his burger, tossed money on the bar, and left.

On edge, he spent the rest of the day patrolling and playing the attentive sheriff. He walked around town, stopping in the different businesses to say hello and catch up on all the news around Cooper. There were two topics everyone wanted to gossip about – the newest citizen and the giant pink penis.

He found himself at Benny’s place right after the lunch crowd had thinned. “Want to go grab a beer after work?”

Dean shrugged. “Don’t you have a restaurant to run?”

“I can make time for my friends. Besides, the batches of red beans and rice are already made. They don’t need me here.”

“Alright, sounds good. Roadhouse, say five?”

“I’ll be there.” It was only after he’d left that he started wondering what was up with Benny. They hadn’t gone out for drinks since his last birthday. Andrea and the restaurant kept him too busy for socializing. Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, he started looking forward to quitting time.

As five o’clock neared, he changed into an extra shirt he kept in the SUV. He put his star into his pocket, flipped the light switch and said goodbye to his deputies. Missouri was gathering her purse, Novak’s book tucked under her arm. “See you tomorrow, Missouri,” Dean said, walking her out. 

 She narrowed her eyes at him. “What’s going on with you? I heard about you and Lisa splitting up. About damn time, if you ask me. You good with things?”

“Jeez, can anyone in this town mind their own business?” At her affronted expression, he shook his head. “Not you… how did you find out anyway?”  _Did everyone know_? 

 “Jody told me. I think she heard it from Pam.  _That woman_  is maligning you to everyone that will listen, but folks around here know what’s what.”

 By the time he got to the Roadhouse, he’d worked himself up to a simmering rage. This is why he couldn’t let anyone know about his bisexuality. Lisa was out running her damn mouth, saying God knows what. Damn town was full of gossips minding everyone's business but their own.

 Benny was already sitting at the bar, nursing a bottle of Melvin IPA. Dean pointed to it as he sat down and Ellen was quick to place another one in front of him. “Guess you heard the news,” Dean said before taking a long pull of his beer. “That why you wanted to have a drink with me?”

 “I wanted to have a drink with you because you’re my friend. The rumor mill can be rough in a small town. Just thought you might want someone to talk to is all.”

As quickly as it flared, Dean’s temper disappeared. “I thought I was doing the right thing. You’ve been telling me for years to walk away before someone got hurt.”

 “She’s not hurt, brotha’, she’s a woman scorned. Big difference. Lisa isn’t a bad person, she just wants someone to be a daddy to her boy. You were her top pick.” 

 “I’m just not cut out for marriage and fatherhood,” he said, with a shake of his head. 

 “You just ain’t met the right one yet.” He nudged Dean’s elbow. “And just so you know, Anna knows and she’s already planning the wedding.”

 Dean spewed beer all over the bar, causing everyone to look in his direction. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and hissed, “What the hell are you talking about?”

 “Andrea stopped by the bank to make a deposit for me and Anna told her she was happy Lisa was out of the picture and now, the two of you could make a go of it. Said she was expecting a ring by Christmas.”

 “Fuck my life,” Dean said, letting his head thunk down on the bar. 

 Benny took a sip of his beer and patted Dean’s back. “Guess you’re going to have to nut up and have a talk with her too…” He paused and Dean looked up. “Unless you plan on putting a ring on it.”

Maybe he should. Maybe he should just say fuck it and marry Anna. He cared about her. Hell, he respected the fuck out of her. She had principals. Refusing to sleep with him until Lisa was out of the picture was a pretty good strategy. Did that mean she’d let him now? No. He wouldn’t do that to her. “I’m a bastard, Benny. A no good, two-timing son of a bitch.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. They both knew the deal.”

 “Yeah, but I’ve strung ‘em both along for years now,” Dean said softly.

 “And they allowed it,” Benny said matter-of-factly. “You just need to find the person who completes you.”

 “Andrea married you, so I’m kind of out of options,” he teased, needing to lighten the conversation.

Bright and early Tuesday morning, Timothy "just call me Cain" Cain showed up to work. Castiel offered him coffee and they spent almost an hour getting to know each other. Castiel was fascinated by the older man. He was a retired professor of entomology and decided to retire after his wife passed away. He'd always loved working with his hands and started doing small jobs for the people of Cooper. Cain was equally impressed with Castiel's published novels. 

Cain was outgoing and full of dry humor that matched Castiel's own wit. Soon enough, Castiel left Cain to tackle the bookcases while he went to his office to write. When Cain was finished, he inspected the house and drew up a list of things that needed attention. The two men compared their lists and settled on a fair price and schedule. Cain agreed to start the next morning.

Alone again, Castiel set to work putting his books onto the shelves. By dinnertime, his living room looked good. Between the writing, spending time with Cain and setting his house to rights, Castiel didn't have time to dwell on Dean Winchester.

Over the next few days, he and Cain developed a pattern. Castiel would write or edit while the other man worked on the various projects around the house. At lunch, they would eat on the porch, easily chatting about anything and everything. 

By Friday, Castiel considered Cain a good friend and as he walked him out to his truck that evening, Cain said he had something for him. Curious, Castiel stood as Cain pulled a plastic bag out from under the seat. Opening it, Castiel grinned. Not only was there a jar of Cain's own honey, there were two books. One was about building hives and the other was called  _Backyard Beekeeping_. When Cain found out Castiel was interested in apiculture, he'd educated him on keeping hives in the cold climate of Wyoming. Cain promised that he'd help Castiel build his hives come the following spring.

The next morning, Saturday, Castiel was stretching for his morning yoga routine when he realized he hadn't thought about Dean once that week. Okay, that might have been a lie. During the day, when he had things to keep him occupied, he was fine. Nights were different. He'd be taking another ride to the Riverton Walmart to replace his Astroglide soon.

He had plans for the day. After showering, he got behind the wheel of the Spider and headed for Riverton. 

The humane shelter was easy to find and he parked in the crowded lot. A large banner was hanging over the door and at least fifty people were milling about. He made his way to the entrance and saw a red-haired woman wearing a staff t-shirt. "Excuse me. What's going on?" Castiel couldn't believe the shelter drew crowds like this one a daily basis.

"We are pairing with the Rocky Mountain Greyhound Rescue today to find homes for greyhounds retired from the track. Are you here to adopt?"

"I'm not sure. I just moved to Cooper and I've spent a lot of time talking to myself. Perhaps a pet would make me appear less crazy."

Her unabashed laughter made him smile. She stuck out her hand. "Charlie Bradbury. Nice to meet you."

"Castiel Novak." Her hand was so small in his. When he said his name, she squealed.

"Get out," she exclaimed. "Oh-em-gee. I've read all your books. I heard you moved to Cooper. This is so exciting." She hadn't let go of his hand and when she realized, she blushed and let go.

"News travels fast," he said, brow furrowed. How had the information of his arrival in Cooper gotten all the way over to Riverton?

"Cooper is a small town, dude. Everyone knows everyone."

"You're from Cooper?" Well, that explained things. He found himself relaxing again.

"Yep. Born and raised. I teach at the elementary school. Second grade. I just volunteer over here every other weekend." She clapped her hands. "So, dog or cat? Puppy or kitten? What's your pleasure, Novak?"

"Castiel, please," he corrected. "I was thinking about a dog. I must admit that I've never really had a dog of my own, so a puppy might be more than I can handle." He was surprised when she grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the entrance.

"You should meet the greyhounds. Low maintenance, loveable, and grateful to have a home. They are also housebroken." She led him to a roped off area and he stared at the graceful creatures. There were ten in all. They were more expensive than the other adoptable dogs at the shelter, but Castiel was smitten. One, in particular, a brindle one, caught his eye. Charlie saw his interest. "That's Electra. She's four years old. She's been spayed and microchipped already. Go say hi."

She opened the kennel and let him enter. The dog tilted her head and watched him, shy, but curious. He held out his hand and she gave him a tentative sniff before licking his hand. "She's beautiful." As if understanding him, Electra leaned her head against Castiel's leg. Her soulful eyes begged him to take her home. Castiel looked up at Charlie, his hand resting on the dog's head. 

She beamed at him. "Shall we fill out the paperwork?"

When he left the shelter with Electra sitting primly in the passenger seat, he'd been schooled in Beginning Dog Ownership by Charlie herself. He also had her number in his phone in case he had any questions. He'd been given a list of things he'd need for his new companion and in the floor was a new owner gift bag.

Talking to Electra on his way back to Cooper was therapeutic. She looked at him and seemed to understand his ramblings. Even the ones about the demon sheriff that lived next door.

The feed store was his first stop. Charlie had told him he could get most of his supplies there. As he wondered around the large warehouse-like building, Electra at his side, he noticed the man behind the counter staring at him. He'd picked out a bag of dogfood, some treats, two stainless steel bowls and a comfortable looking dog bed. The other supplies, he'd have to order from Amazon, but these would do for now. When he got to the register, the clerk, a nice-looking man of Hispanic decent, smiled at Electra. "What a pretty girl," his murmured.

"Thank you. I just adopted her," Castiel said, gesturing toward his cart piled high with dog paraphernalia. 

"At the Riverton shelter?" He started to scan Castiel's items into the register.

"Yes." Castiel rested his palm on Electra's head.

"Good place. We donate dogfood to them a few times a year and my husband and I have fostered several horses for them." Castiel noted the use of the word husband. It was nice to meet someone from the community. "I'm Cesar Cuevas, by the way."

"Castiel Novak."

"I figured that was you," he said with a grin. "I don't get many strangers in here. You're the writer, right?"

"Guilty," Castiel responded.

"Jesse, my husband, is a deputy sheriff and he told me one of his friends with the fire department was all goo-goo eyed about you. Seems you met his sister and now, he's jealous."

Castiel chuckled softly. "Max?"

Cesar grinned. "That's him. One of these days, when you aren't too busy, you should stop by the firehouse and introduce yourself." He snapped his fingers. "Or better yet, come to the Labor Day barbeque. The department puts on a fundraiser to buy new equipment every year. It's the best barbeque this side of Kansas City."

"I might do that," Castiel said, unwilling to commit fully. 

"That'll be fifty-eight dollars and sixty-one cents." Castiel handed him his card and waited while he ran it through the machine. He helped Cesar bag the smaller items and was grateful when the man helped him carry the purchases out to the car. "Uhm... I don't think this is all going to fit."

Castiel stared at his small car in dismay. At this rate, he'd have to buy a truck for his weekend shopping. "Would you mind holding some of this here while I take Electra home. That will free up the front seat."

"You don't want to leave her alone on her first day. I can deliver it this afternoon when I close up."

"I can't let you do that," Castiel said, unwilling to put the kind man out.

"It's no trouble. Really. Didn't you buy the old Sims' place?" At Castiel's nod, he continued, "We live about four miles past your place. So, see, we'd have to pass your house anyway."

"If you're sure you don't mind. And I'll pay extra for delivery."

"No. That's not how it works. Neighbors help each other around here." He hefted the large bag of dog food onto his shoulder. "We'll see you around five or so."

"Thank you again, Cesar."

Castiel was sitting on the floor petting Electra when he heard a vehicle pull up to his house. When he opened the front door, a black pickup was in the driveway. He kept his fingers tucked in her collar to keep her from bolting out the door. Cesar and another man, Castiel assumed it was Jesse, got out of the cab. "Castiel, dog supplies, delivered as promised." 

Castiel smiled, "Let me put her in the laundry room and I'll be out to get it." He led his dog to the small room off the kitchen and closed the door. Once she got used to him and the house, he'd let her out without a leash, but for now, he worried she'd run off. Before he made it back to the living room, Cesar and Jesse had placed his purchases in the floor.

"I wasn't sure where you wanted it," Cesar said, and then turned to the other man. "Jesse, this is Castiel. Castiel, my husband, Jesse." They shook and traded small talk for a few minutes. "We'll have you over for a beer soon," Cesar said, ushering Jesse out the door. 

Castiel found himself looking forward to getting to know the couple. His list of friends was growing.

After tending to the horses, Dean showered and dressed for work. When he got to the highway, he waved at Cain, who was slowing down to turn into Castiel's driveway. He sat, the SUV's engine idling, as he watched Cain's dilapidated work truck rattle toward his neighbor's house.

When he got home from work the next day, Cain's truck was sitting next to the stupid foreign car. Dean glanced at his watch and frowned. He'd found out through Benny that Castiel had hired Cain to do some odd jobs. If things were different...if they hadn't fucked... Dean would have been able to help out, just like with the grill. Castiel was kind of cool. He'd realized that in California. Yeah, if things were different, they could be friends. His lips tightened at the thought. That would never happen now.

He got out of the SUV and something was niggling at the base of his spine. Walking to the back of the vehicle, he yanked up the hatch. He found what he was looking for in the case that held his extra ammo. Focusing the binoculars, he aimed them north.

The two men were sitting on the porch steps... laughing... drinking beer. Castiel had something in his hands... a book? Cain was leaning over to look, their heads almost touching. Dean's hands tightened around the hard plastic. "Stop being stupid," he muttered.

There was no reason for him to be angry. Castiel wasn't his. Hell, he didn't even want the man. Couldn't want him. Besides, Cain was straight. He'd been married to Colette for-fuckin'-ever. The devil on Dean's shoulder, in a crystal clear voice, said, 'He could be bi, just like you, Winchester.'

For the rest of the week, Dean stayed in a foul mood. His staff avoided him and most of his friends, including Benny, kept harping on him to share his problem. How could he tell them? And every single day...Cain's truck was at Castiel's house. Every. Single. Day.

It was eating at him. It didn't help Anna kept pestering him to have dinner with her. He finally had to compromise with lunch. He knew avoiding her wasn't right, but it had to be done. He needed to clear everything up with her too. He knew she'd been telling folks they were going to get serious now that Lisa was out of the picture. By the time he pulled up in front of Benny's his stomach was in knots.

Benny greeted him and gave him a curious look when he chose a table near the window and not his usual one. "Anna," he said. His friend patted his shoulder and left him alone.

Anna came in less than a minute later, dressed in a light blue skirt and blazer. She smiled warmly and kissed his cheek. "It seems like forever since we've talked. I've called you several times," she reprimanded with an exaggerated pout. "Texts are just not personal enough," she said breezily as she settled in her chair. Maybe he should have stood and pulled it out for her, he thought too late.

"I've been kind of busy," he mumbled as Benny came up to ask what she wanted to drink.

"Just water, one lemon, and I want the house salad, low-calorie Italian on the side, please," she said dismissively. She never even looked a Benny. Had she always been like that? 

"I'll have my usual." Benny nodded and left them again. "Anna, we need to... talk." There it was again... that lame precursor to an unpleasant conversation.

Her face was the picture of innocence. "Dean, I've heard the rumors. I know you broke it off with Lisa." She reached across the table for his hand. "I know it wasn't easy, but now that it's done..." She let her sentence drop and Dean opened his mouth to speak, but she wasn't finished. "I do understand that men need to sow their wild oats, but now, we can be together as a real couple."

"Anna, no." Confusion marred her features. Her hand on his tightened and he wanted to pull away, but he didn't want to cause a scene in front of the other diners.

"What? What do you mean?" Her lip started to tremble and Dean's first instinct was to give her whatever she wanted, but he saw Benny at the bar. Andrea was with him and the look they shared... he wanted that. 

"I can't love you. I didn't love Lisa either. I'm a shit for letting you..." She shook her head and squared her shoulders.

"Stop. You..." The smile she gave him was brave despite the tears gathering in her eyes. "Dean, you never promised me anything. I was the one who wanted more than you could give. I think I've known you didn't love me for a long time." She squeezed his hand. "I think I knew all along that I wasn't the one for you."

Dean couldn't mask his shock. He didn't know what to say. "You're a good man, Dean. I hope you find what you're looking for one day." She stood, wiped her eyes, and picked up her purse. She took a step away, but he quickly stood and touched her arm. 

"You will make someone an awesome wife one day," he said with a smile. They hugged and with a farewell touch to his cheek, she walked out of the restaurant.

Benny appeared almost immediately. Dean shrugged. "Guess you can cancel the salad."

"Never put in the order." At Dean's incredulous expression, he chuckled. "Figured she'd leave once you had your talk."

"How did you know I was going to break up with her?" 

"I know you, brotha. You had that look."

"She was special, Benny." He sat down and stared out at the street. "I couldn't... Fuck, maybe I'm not capable of loving someone."

"That's bullshit. You just haven't met the right someone yet."

Dean ate his lunch, not really tasting it, deep in thought. What did he want in a wife? What were Lisa and Anna lacking? 

Kids? No, both women would be willing to have his baby, wouldn't they? Strength? Being a cop's wife wasn't easy. Of course, it was easier here. Dallas would have been worse. Intelligence? Both women were smart, but they didn't read the same books, or watch the same movies... he couldn't talk about police procedures, politics, forensic evidence... all the things that Dean liked to discuss with his friends. Sex? No, that was a given. Independence? He sure didn't want a clinging vine. Blue eyes. No, that was stupid. Eye color had nothing to do with how good a partner they'd be. 

Anna laughed at his jokes, but it wasn't a good belly laugh. Lisa thought his brand of humor was immature. He just wanted someone to complete him. "Damn, princess, you've been watching to many chick flicks," he muttered under his breath.

He left work an hour early and stopped by the clinic. Kate greeted him by saying, "He's in the back with Mrs. Watkins and her cat."

"There's got to be a joke there somewhere," Dean snickered, grinning. Kate rolled her eyes. He strolled through row of plastic chairs and picked up a copy of  _Western Horseman_. It was an issue from 2013. Maybe he'd get Sam some new subscriptions for his birthday.

Mrs. Watkins, an eighty-something, came down the hall, Sam right behind her holding a pet carrier. She saw him. "Young man, take Percy to my car while I pay my bill." She dug a set of keys out of her purse and held them out.

"Yes, ma'am." He mouthed the word 'bitch' to Sam when he smirked at Dean. He took the carrier holding a very fat cat out to the Oldsmobile that looked to be twenty years past its prime. "Here you go, pussycat." He placed it on the backseat and returned to the lobby to give the elderly woman back her keys. "Have a good day, Mrs. Watkins," he said pleasantly and stepped over to open the door for her.

"Such nice manners." 

Once the door was shut, he turned to his brother. "Hear that, Sam. I have nice manners."

"She's probably getting senile," came Sam's dry reply. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't I stop by to see my favorite brother?"

"I'm your only brother. It's Friday. And you never stop by the clinic unless you want something." The happy-go-lucky facade slipped and Sam must have seen it, because he turned to Kate. "You can go ahead and clock out. I'll finish up."

The younger woman didn't need to be told twice. She was up and gone in less than five minutes. Sam locked the front door behind her. "Follow me. I've got to clean the exam room. Percy sheds like a bitch." Dean followed his brother down the hall and leaned against the door while Sam squirted cleaner onto the stainless steel table. Sam knew him well and didn't speak. 

Dean huffed out a breath and blurted, "I broke up with Lisa and Anna."

Sam quirked an eyebrow. "I'd heard about Lisa. Anna too, huh? You found another person to warm your bed in Cooper? Or are you branching out to Riverton now?"

"There's no one else." Sam stopped wiping the table and leaned against it. Waiting. "Look, last year, when I went to California..." Dean rubbed his neck. "I hooked up with Castiel."

Sam straightened to his full height. "Castiel? As in Castiel Novak, the author."

"You know anyone else named Castiel?" Dean asked snidely. This was a mistake. He should have kept that secret to himself... forever.

"Hey, just keeping the facts straight. My brother, the cop, he taught me that," Sam responded, leading the way out of the exam room and into his office. Dean looked around at the diplomas and certificates on the wall and felt a rush of pride. "So, you boinked Novak and what? Invited him to move here?"

"Fuck, no," Dean yelled, his voice shrill. He covered his face and slumped down into a chair. He heard Sam's loud exhale.

"Why don't you start at the beginning? But leave it Rated G," he added quickly.

Dean told him everything – almost everything. When he was finished, Sam looked amused. "Let me clarify... you told him you'd run him out of town, Sheriff Coltrane."

"It wasn't my brightest moment, okay?" Dean crossed his leg over his knee and played with the hem of his pants.

Sam leaned forward, elbows on his desk. "Is he why you broke up with Lisa and Anna?"

Dean straightened, his booted foot hitting the floor with a loud thump. "No... just...no. You know I can't..."

"You won't. Big difference," Sam reasoned. "Dean, you know this isn't Dallas."

He stood, ready to leave. "I'm not having this conversation."

"I'm not asking you to. I'm merely saying you can love whoever you want here. No one will judge you. Shit, Dean, no one cares." At Dean's mutinous glare, Sam shot one over the bow. "Dad's gone."  _That was fucking low_ , Dean thought sourly.

His jaw ached from the tension of keeping it civil with Sam. "It isn't..." He stopped and collected his thoughts. "No one wants a sheriff who likes dick. Crowley would fire me in a heartbeat. You know how he treats Jesse." Every time the mayor and his deputy were in the same vicinity, Crowley acted like a complete jackass.

"Sit," Sam commanded. Dean arched a brow at Sam's tone, but he sat.

"Got a story for you. Seems like Crowley used to have a crush on Cesar, long before Jesse moved here." He held up a hand when Dean started to speak. "Let me finish. Cesar met Jesse and that was all she wrote. Crowley was left to lick his wounds. The thing is, Cesar never knew Crowley liked him like that. Not that it would have made a difference. Those two were made for each other. Crowley hates Jesse because he got Cesar, not because he's gay."

Dean's mind was a knot of confused thoughts. "But Jesse and Cesar were married when you moved here, so how do you know all this  _rumor_  shit?" Dean knew how rumors worked in Cooper. It had to be a load of crap.

"Crowley told me," Sam replied smugly.

"Huh?" Dean knew Sam knew the mayor. Hell, everyone in town knew Crowley, but being close enough to share such an intimate tale. Didn't seem possible. Dean was already shaking his head.

"Right before you got the job, Crowley's Chinese Crested fell off the couch and shattered his leg in three places..."

"What the hell is a Chinese Crested?" It sounded like some sort of weird bird or something.

Sam gave him the Winchester bitchface for interrupting. "A Chinese Crested is a breed of dog, Dean."

"And it broke its leg falling off a couch? Was it old or something?"

"No, Dean, they are a toy breed and can be delicate," Sam said in his best  _you are so dumb_  voice. "Do you want to hear this story or not?"

"No need to get your panties in a twist, Samantha. I just gotta have all the facts," he mimicked. Dean made the gesture of locking his lips and tossing away the key.

"Anyway... Crowley called the emergency number and I met him here. I x-rayed the little guy and Crowley was almost in tears. He kept moaning that Speck was the only one that loved him. I figured out that the dude had been hitting the sauce pretty hard. Man, does he talk when he's wasted." Dean filed that fact away for later use. "While I was prepping Speck for surgery... " Dean couldn't help it. The name of the dog made him snicker. Wasn't that the name of Pee Wee Herman's dog? He was rewarded with yet another bitchface. "for surgery... Crowley told me about the whole sordid affair. Well, it wasn't really an affair since Cesar never... you know. So, you see, Dean, Crowley isn't a homophobe."

"No, just a dude suffering from unrequited love who has a defective dog." Sam's phone rang and while he answered the call from Eileen, Dean lamented on what he was just told. The logical side of his brain told him Crowley didn't care and his father was dead. Who was left to care if Dean wanted to go out with a man? The irrational side told him it didn't matter. Other than Castiel, who was now off limits, the only single, gay man in Cooper was Max. He grimaced... or Crowley. Max was way too young and Crowley was... Crowley... and his boss.

"Be home soon, Hon." Sam set his phone down. "Eileen has dinner waiting. Want to join us?"

"Thanks, but I have crap I gotta do." It was a lie, but he needed time to think. They walked out together, pausing so Sam could lock the door. At Sam's Tahoe, his brother rested his large hand on the back of Dean's neck. 

"Love is love."

"Fuck you, Mr. Hallmark." Sam was still laughing when he shut the door and started the engine.

All the way home, Dean wrestled with his thoughts. As he pulled off the highway, his eyes were drawn to Novak's place. Cain's truck was there and Dean's stomach churned.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I must apologize for the long wait for an update. With NashCon, my grandson being hospitalized, and my youngest daughter having shoulder surgery, my life has been a bit chaotic. There was some added pressure/drama and that made my creative juices curl into a ball and refuse to come out and play. 
> 
> Hopefully, things have settled down. I had a wonderful time at NashCon, the boys were all great. Misha, bless him, was so tired and it showed. Met Adam and David for the first time and gave them their character soaps. Both were so sweet. David even tweeted that my soap was sublime. I have to confess that I've developed a slight crush on Adam...

The next day, Castiel took Electra to see Dr. Sam Winchester. He recognized the tall man and accepted his handshake. The vet was very professional and did a thorough examination of her. "She's in great health, but then again, most of the rescued greyhounds are. I see her records show she's up to date on all her shots. Honestly, she'll be fine until next year when her rabies booster is due." 

Castiel was surprised when the vet walked them to the lobby and waited while he paid his bill. He followed Castiel outside and he stopped to look at him. "Was there something you wanted to talk about, Dr. Winchester?"

"No, not really. I've been hearing about this car of yours and wanted to check her out." His words were innocent enough, but Castiel felt there was something else. Had Dean told his brother about the two of them? He was running his hand along her fender. "She's a beauty. Guess you've seen my brother's car. The black Impala?"

Castiel decided to play dumb. "Your brother?"

"The sheriff... your neighbor." The other man lifted a brow as if to say he was on to Castiel's game.

"Oh, yes... right. Yes, Sheriff Winchester's car is beautiful." The two men stared at each other. Castiel was the first to blink and turn away. "Well, I should get Electra home. Thank you again, for seeing her today."

"Anytime...  _Cas_." And there it was. The nickname Dean used. So, Dean and Sam Winchester had discussed him. How much had Dean told him? 

One bottle of wine later, Castiel fell into a dreamless sleep, but not before remembering every single touch...every single sound...Dean made that night. How had a one night stand become this goddamn important?

The Labor Day Barbecue was held at the fire station. The bay doors were open and children were climbing all over the two polished red engines. Castiel had to park down by the library, since the street was packed with cars and trucks. The entire town must be here. As he passed Donna's bakery, a young girl was coming out and ran right into him. He reached out to steady her, noticing her red-rimmed eyes right away. "Are you okay? Please tell me I didn't hurt you."

She shook her head. "No, I'm so clumsy. It was my fault," she mumbled, eyes pointed down to the sidewalk. Her jeans were ripped and cheaply made and she was wearing an over-sized man's shirt that almost came to her knees. Her shoes looked to be worse for wear.

"On the contrary, I believe I was the one who wasn't paying attention." She finally made eye contact with him and her smile was tentative.

"You talk... fancy." 

Castiel laughed. "Someone once told me I talk like a college professor." That someone happened to be Dean Winchester. His smile faltered, but he collected himself quickly. "I'm actually a writer, so I've got to stay in practice to impress my publisher."

"You're that writer everyone's talking about," she said shyly. Her hands fidgeted with a braided leather bracelet on her left wrist.

"I am."

"I tried to check your book out at the library, but it's always gone."

"My name is Castiel, but I guess you know that. What's yours?" There was something about the waif, from her chewed to the quick fingernails to her matted hair, that had him wanting to reach out.

"Alex."

"Tell you what, Alex. On Monday, come to the library after school and I'll give you a copy to read. If you like it, we can discuss it. Hell, if you don't like it, you can tell me how I could have made it better."

"I don't have any money..."

"Alex," Castiel said gently. "I said 'give'. Consider it a gift for almost knocking you down."

With a promise from her regarding Monday, he watched her walk away. Not toward the crowd, but away from it. He stood until she turned a corner.

"That's Alex Jones. She's trailer trash," came a voice behind him. He turned to see two teenage girls standing on the sidewalk. "She quit school last year. We think she's pregnant." The one speaking was wearing designer clothes and carrying a Coach handbag. 

"Are you friends of hers?" Castiel asked, already knowing the answer. 

"God, no," the other girl said, with a laugh. "She's so... dirty. She lives out in the sticks. I heard her mama's got cancer or something. And her stepdaddy works at the funeral home. It's gross."

Castiel set his jaw. He hated the entitled. "If you'll excuse me." Castiel needed to get away from the privileged brats before he said something incredibly rude.

The Barbecue was interesting, Castiel decided an hour later. Cesar and Jesse saw him walk up and had taken him under their wing. He thought he'd been introduced to everyone in the town. He finally got to meet Max and enjoyed the younger man's camaraderie with Jesse. 

After they ate a variety of grilled meats, the three men stood out behind the station under the shade of a large tree. Castiel had been over to their house for dinner and Cesar sometimes stopped by on his way home from work to have a beer and play with Electra. They were sipping on lemonade and discussing politics when Castiel spotted Dean coming toward them. This was the last thing he needed.

He glanced at Castiel, but spoke to Cesar. "Hey, your husband says you're making him crazy with all the baby stuff." His grin was returned by Cesar.

"Me? He's the one online all the time looking at cribs and Baby Einstein CDs." Jesse blushed and Dean punched his arm.

"Yeah, he showed me a baby monitor the other day that looked like something NASA used in space," Dean teased. 

Castiel followed the conversation, but didn't contribute. Dean was trouble and it would be best if they didn't get in each other's way.

"Hey, Cas." Dean's voice and the shortened version of his name made him raise his chin. "Been meaning to tell you that you can come over and ride any time you want." Castiel's eyes widened. "The horses are all well behaved and I leave the tack room unlocked." Oh, horses. His pulse was still racing, but he faked a smile to cover it.

"Thank you,  _Sheriff_ , but I don't ride." Dean's stare was intense and Castiel caught the other couple exchanging a questioning look.

"I can teach you, Castiel," Cesar said, breaking the tension. Castiel thought he saw Dean's eyes narrow, but when he looked again, they were focused on something in the distance.

"I hate to say it, but they scare me," Castiel confessed.

"Cesar is a great teacher," Jesse said. "You have to come over next weekend. We can grill out and he'll have you up on a horse in no time."

Dean took a step back and snapped, "Jesse, don't forget you're on duty this afternoon." He turned and strode away.

"What's eating him?" Jesse frowned and watched his boss walk away. 

Cesar turned to Castiel. "How well do you know Dean?" Castiel's lemonade went down the wrong pipe and he choked. Jesse patted him on the back until he could breathe again. He croaked out a 'thank you'. Cesar was still eyeing him expectantly.

"Not well. We've only met once or twice." Castiel wanted to escape, but Cesar's eyes were shrewd.

"He's your neighbor. Surely, he's been over to visit?"  Jesse was watching them both, head swiveling back and forth like he was at a tennis match.

"Do you know the Jones family?" Castiel swiftly changed the subject. Cesar pursed his lips and rocked back on his heels. Castiel knew the other man was aware he'd deliberately shying away from the conversation about Dean, but he didn't call him out on it.

"Jones?" Jesse asked, squinting and scratched the back of his head. "It's a common enough name, but I don't think I know of any personally. Why?"

"I met a teen earlier and some 'not so nice' girls told me her mother had cancer. I was just curious. Her stepfather works at the funeral home." The two teens had been good for something.

Cesar placed his hand on his husband's arm. "Dick Roman. Doesn't his wife have cancer?"

Jess frowned. "Yeah. She has a teenage daughter. Alex... she's been caught shoplifting a few times."

"Alex. That's her. Shoplifting?" Castiel wasn't expecting that. His instincts were usually good.

"Not the usual stuff that teenagers lift. Just food. An occasional box of tampons. Her mom is in pretty bad shape. And I'll be honest... her stepfather, Dick, is a real dick. I think once his wife got sick, he pretty much walked away from his marriage." 

Castiel's mind was whirling. She was obviously stealing to eat. "Does he help with the household bills?"

"I know he still lives there, so I'm going to assume he pays the utilities. The dude is a creepy fuck," Jesse said with a grimace. "He does the embalming at Ash's place. Ash isn't fond of him, but he says it's hard to find qualified employees in a town this size."

On the drive home, Castiel thought of the girl, Alex. It sounded like she had a tough time of it. He hoped she came on Monday. 

The annual barbecue was in full swing by the time Dean got there. He was in his official capacity as sheriff and wore his full uniform today. Normally, he wore his uniform shirt, but kept it casual with jeans. 

He was strolling through the bay, nodding to everyone, but his eyes were taking in the crowd. He wondered if Cas would be there. In the back of the station, several folding tables were set up in the shade of the trees.  _And there he was_. He was with Jesse and Cesar. Those two were always taking in strays. Guess Cas fit the bill.

As he walked towards them, he saw the exact moment Cas saw him. His face got this pinched look, like he'd just eaten something rotten. When he stepped into their little circle, he spared Cas a glance, but spoke to Cesar. "Hey, your husband says you're making him crazy with all the baby stuff." He shared a grin with his friend over the joke. Everyone knew Jesse was the one that was taking this new parent thing over the top.

"Me? He's the one online all the time looking at cribs and Baby Einstein CDs," Cesar offered and his husband blushed. Dean punched his deputy in the arm.

"Yeah, he showed me a baby monitor the other day that looked like something NASA used in space." Dean could see Cas following the conversation with those ridiculously blue eyes of his. He knew he probably was still on Cas' shit list for being an asshole, but hell, he'd put together the dude's grill. He was trying to be friendly. "Hey, Cas. Been meaning to tell you that you can come over and ride any time you want." Dean saw the guy's eyes show signs of confusion and bit back a smile. He thought Dean was offering something besides his horses. _Interesting_. "The horses are all well behaved and I leave the tack room unlocked." 

Cas' smile was anything but friendly. In fact, he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here talking to Dean. "Thank you,  _Sheriff_ , but I don't ride." 

"I can teach you, Castiel," Cesar supplied and for some reason, it pissed Dean off. Dean could teach Cas to ride. It was the neighborly thing to do. Dean looked beyond Cesar's shoulder at the group of kids playing tag.

"I hate to say it, but they scare me." Cas was talking to Cesar and it was like Dean wasn't even there. Well, that was _fine_. He didn't need Cas' friendship. Then Jesse started in on how great a teacher Cesar was and inviting him over for dinner. Something in Dean snapped.

"Jesse, don't forget you're on duty this afternoon," he said, his tone sharper than he'd intended, before turning and walking away, his head held high.

Inside the station again, the smell of grilling meat and cotton candy made his stomach roll. Life had been good until Novak showed up in his town. He had regular sex and two great women that cared about him. Now, he had no one. And Cas didn't want anything to do with him. 

Instead of sticking around and hanging out with his friends, Dean made a quiet exit from the festivities and got back in his SUV. He could patrol for a while...listen to some music and try to clear his head.

As he headed out of the town center, he spied Alex Jones walking down the highway. Her story wasn't a pleasant one. Mom dying of cancer, stepdad a real bastard, and the poor teen was left to fend for herself most of the time. He slowed the SUV and rolled down the window. "Want a ride home?"

She stared at the ground, her much-too-large shirt billowing in the strong breeze coming over the fields. "No, sir. I'm fine." 

"Come on, I'm heading in your direction," Dean offered. He leaned over and opened the passenger door. "And see, I won't even make you ride in the back like a common criminal." He gave her an assuring smile.

With a slight shrug, she got in and shut the door. They didn't speak as they rode down the highway. As they neared the turnoff to the trailer the kid called home, Dean finally spoke. "Is Dick still pressuring your mom to sell the land?"

She stared out the window, not looking at him. He saw the soft nod. It was common knowledge that Alex's father left the twenty prime acres to her mother. When the woman remarried Dick Roman, everyone in town began taking bets on how long it would last. Roman was a real son of a bitch. Dean speculated he'd married the mousy woman for the land. Developers had been after it for years. He only hoped Alex was named owner in the will when her mom died. If not, the kid would be out on the streets.

"Alex, listen... if you ever need anything... anything at all, call me." He took one of his cards and pressed it into her hand. When she got out of the vehicle, Dean swore he saw tears running down her cheeks. If that bastard was hurting her, Dean would string him up from the nearest tree.

September came and the weeks passed slowly. Dean was well aware of the comings and goings at Cas' house. He'd leave some nights and not return until late. Other evenings, Cain would stay late, or Cesar and Jesse would stop by. Everyone in Cooper seemed to love the author. He was making friends and fitting in. The more he fit in, the more Dean felt alienated. 

He knew from town gossip that Cas spent one day a week at the library. He mostly was on his laptop in a quiet corner, but would always take time out to visit with anyone that wanted to talk. That day, he always ate at Benny's. Dean would eat at the Roadhouse to avoid him. The bastard was showing up in his dreams more and more and Dean was tired of washing his sheets every other day. 

Sam kept pestering him to invite Cas over for one of their family meals, but that wasn't going to happen. Tongues were wagging about Cain spending so much time with Cas they must be involved. The last thing Dean needed was for that kind of talk to get around about him.

Towards the end of the month, Dean was sitting in the barbershop getting a trim when he spotted Cas and Alex Jones talking near the front door of Andrea's real estate office. The teen had her back to him, but her worn clothing and long, dark hair made her easy to recognize. Cas leaned in and hugged the girl. That, in itself, was weird, because as far as he knew, Alex was a loner and avoided contact with most adults. Then she turned and Dean almost gasped out loud. Was that... was she pregnant?  _She was what, six months or so_ , Dean pondered.

For a split second, Dean wanted to go over there and arrest Cas for statutory rape. Alex was only sixteen or seventeen tops. But then, his initial shock eased off and he remembered that Cas preferred dick _and_ the Cas he knew wouldn't touch a child. Not that he knew Cas very well...but his instincts were good.

Surprisingly enough, Alex showed up at the library the week following their meeting. She reminded him of a younger version of himself. Unsure... wondering what the big world had in store... scared of that same unkind world. He noticed her when she walked in, but pretended he didn't. He sat at his laptop and steadily typed a bunch of nonsense he'd erase later. She moved closer. It was only when she was about ten feet away that he looked up. "Alex. I'm glad you could make it. I seem to have written myself into a corner and need another pair of eyes."

"I'm not a writer," she whispered, but moved closer.

"See, that's the best part. You don't know the story, so your eyes are fresh." Without waiting for her to sit down, he began. "My two heroes are facing a Dullahan." This was from the book already written, the one he was currently editing, but she didn't need to know that. "The only way to kill one is to chop off its head and burn it. Should the oldest decapitate it, while the youngest swoops in and grabs the head to set fire to it?  _Or_ , should I make it more dramatic and have the Dullahan hurt one of the brothers?"

"What is a Dul...la...han?" She pronounced the Irish legend slowly. 

"A Dullahan is a monster of Irish folklore. Think of the American legend of the headless horseman. Now, imagine him doing the bidding of the dark fae." She'd moved to the table, but had yet to sit down.

"I don't know anything about your heroes, but if they are brothers, I think they'd like to share in killing it. If you hurt one of them, the other would be worried and might not have his head in the game... ya know?" She seemed embarrassed by her answer.

" _And_  that's what I thought too." He grinned at her and pointed to the chair across from him.  While she made up her mind to sit, he rummaged around in his messenger back and pulled out his first book. He'd already written a note inside, not on the normal page writers used, but after Chapter One. She sat, but her body language told him she was uncomfortable. She continuously looked around the library as if to make sure no one saw her. Did she want to be invisible? "I remember promising you a book," he said, pushing it toward her. There it was. A spark in her eyes. She was pleased. He wasn't sure if it was about the book itself or that he remembered. Either way, he'd take it.

He carried most of the conversation for the next thirty minutes and then Ellen and Missouri came in and waved to him. She snatched up the book and all but ran from the library. Missouri watched the teen go and sighed. "That one is troubled. I can't imagine what she must be going through."

When they sat, Castiel had to ask, "Is she being abused?"

Missouri sat up straighter and he was met with a harden stare. "If we suspected abuse, the sheriff would have that jackass, Dick Roman, behind bars so fast his head would spin." Her anger disappeared as fast as it arrived. "I'm just not sure. I know the guidance counselor down at the high school has tried to get her to talk to her. Some of her teachers too. She just won't open up to anyone."

Castiel looked at the entrance of the building. Alex had fled before he'd had a chance to tell her to come see him again. He forced a smile for his two favorite readers and spent the rest of the afternoon with them and the rest of the book club.

The rest of the week flew by. Cain was finished with their combined list of things that had needed to be repaired or re-vamped. His house was really taking shape. Cain's visits became evening get-togethers. They would share a bottle of wine, a simple meal and conversation about literature, politics, or religion, whichever came up. The older man had come to be a good friend and Castiel suspected he'd been lonely since his wife's death. More often than not, Castiel would spy on Dean after Cain left. He'd follow his shadowed form as he went to the barn and back with his binoculars. Sometimes, he'd go out to the shed that held his car and work under the hood until late into the evening. And every night, he'd tell himself it would be the last time he would watch, but for some reason, he could not seem to stop. 

Strangely enough, the blue truck never appeared again. Castiel wondered if Dean was lonely. Castiel had Electra now and she was great company. She'd settled in nicely and learned quickly to run at his side while he jogged in the mornings. And he also had Cain, Pam, Jesse and Cesar, who were always stopping by to say hello and see how he was doing. 

It was the nights that were driving him mad. He still could not get used to the quiet and the utter darkness of the Wyoming countryside. His mind would come up with scenarios in which he and Dean hadn't met in LA. They hadn't had sex. He was just the nice sheriff next door. The beautiful sheriff next door. They'd talk and share an occasional beer on the porch. He'd grace Castiel with that sexy grin and things would heat up between them. By the time his thoughts got to that point, Castiel was angry at himself. Even if things were different, Dean was still in the closet and Castiel refused to be anyone's dirty secret.

By the end of September, the temperatures were not nearly as warm as he was used to. The temperature in LA would have been in the seventies. At the base of the mountains, in Cooper, the nights were frigid and the days were averaging around fifty degrees. 

Castiel's usual attire most days was jeans, a sweatshirt, and his Walmart cowboy boots with thick wool socks. It was one of those days he didn't want to leave the house, but he couldn't abandon Alex. Even though she wore baggy clothes, he'd noticed her pregnancy. He'd seen her hand stray to her belly on occasion, but he never asked. She was beginning to trust him and he wasn't going to risk that fragile bond. The girl didn't talk about her home life, but he'd gotten her involved in books, not just his but other authors he loved. They'd sit in the library and talk until the book club made their entrance. As soon as they came through the door, she would leave. 

He was leaving the bank after depositing a royalty check, when he spotted Alex across the street. He called out to her and raced over to her. "Shouldn't you have a coat on? It's freezing out here." 

In true teenage fashion, she rolled her eyes. "It's not cold, Castiel. Just wait until the first snowfall."

"Perhaps I'm just a wimp," he said with a chuckle. 

"You're going to freeze your ass off this winter, City Boy," she teased playfully and Castiel couldn't help it, he pulled her to him. He wasn't sure who was more startled, him or her.

Before she could pull away, he whispered in her ear. "You are important, Alex. To me... and one day, you'll mean the world to your child."

She pulled back and blinked up at him. "I didn't want anyone to know."

"Honey, you can't hide it much longer." He wanted to ask all the questions. Who was the father? Was she getting proper medical care? Did she need money? Was she planning to keep it? But he didn't. He wouldn't. 

"I know." She turned and took a single step before looking at him over her shoulder. "Thank you for being my friend."

"Always," Castiel said, watching her walk away. He sighed and looked up. At the window of the barber shop, he saw Dean sitting in the front chair. Aaron, the owner, was dusting off Dean's neck with a brush. Dean's eyes were on him. They both stared for what seemed like minutes, when it was only seconds. Castiel was the first to turn away. He strode down the sidewalk to where he'd parked his car.

That night, as he lay in bed, he thought back to that night.  The sounds he'd coaxed out of Dean, the feel of his body beneath his, and the way he looked the next morning...still asleep with the sunlight dancing across his face. It was just a one-night stand. If he repeated it enough, maybe he'd start to believe it.


	6. Chapter 6

He was lonely. But, he couldn't figure out why. He had friends. Coworkers. Family. It was at night though, that the hours dragged. It wasn't just the sex he missed. Dry spells happened. It was someone to talk to in the evenings. He wanted to walk into the door and have someone smile and say, 'hi, how was your day, babe'. Yeah, his fantasy lover called him babe. He might have to change that. 

As October reared its ugly head, the temperatures dropped. He spent his weekends winterizing the house and barn. Extra orders of hay and feed were ordered from Cesar. The Impala was safety tucked away in her garage, freshly lubricated, clean, fluids topped off, and battery disconnected.

He was brushing down Orion when a noise made him turn around. A sleek hound was standing just inside the barn, nose to nose with Maggie May. He recognized the dog as Cas'. Everyone in town knew about... what was her name again... anyway, Cas was rarely without her. 

She stood shivering in the early morning chill. "Hey, girl, where's your dad, huh?" Her ears flicked towards him and she took a step closer. "Bet you're cold. Guess your old man forgot to put on your coat before letting you out." That, in itself, was weird. As far as he knew, Cas never let his dog just roam. "Did you make a break for it?" Cas was probably worried about her. Slowly and carefully, he made his way around her and shut the barn door, so she couldn't run. To his horses, he said, "Y'all play nice with our visitor while I go call her daddy."

He stepped outside and closed the door behind him. The wind was picking up. They might have snow before the end of the week. He could almost smell it in the air. He pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket. He didn't have Cas' number, but he knew someone who did. "Hey, Cesar, it's Dean."

"Hey. What's up?" Dean did guess it was unusual for him to call this early on a Saturday morning. The feed store was barely open.

"I need Cas' phone number." His declaration was met with silence. He brought his phone to the front of his face. No, he hadn't dropped the call. That wouldn't be an odd occurrence, since cell service was sketchy on a good day. "You still there?"

"May I ask why?" Since when, did he need a reason to get a dude's phone number. He was the sheriff for fuck's sake.

"Does it matter?" He knew he sounded pissy, but damn it, all he wanted was a fucking phone number.

"It kind of does." Dean pinched the bridge of his nose and stared heavenward. What the fuck was going on?

"Look, his dog turned up in my barn and I need to call, so the dude's not worried. Is that a good enough reason?"

"Oh, okay." Oh... okay. That was all he got?

"What's going on with you?" As soon as the question left his mouth, he knew he'd made a mistake. He'd heard stories from Jesse about his husband. He was like a dog with a bone. Dean rolled his eyes at the hilarity of that statement.

"Castiel is a friend of mine. I don't want him hurt."

"Hurt? I found his dog, how would that..."

"Dean, I've seen the way you look at him when you think..."  Oh, hell, no. He was  _not_  doing this.

"I don't know what you're implying, Cesar, but you can back that truck up right damn now."

He heard Cesar's bark of laughter and a muttered word, "Narnia." Puzzled, Dean squinted against the sunrise. What was he getting at. Oh. _Oh_.

"I... I..." What was he going to do? Deny it? 

"You're my friend, Dean. More importantly, you are my husband's friend. We care."

"Cas... " Why was he suddenly unable to speak in complete sentences?

"Cas might be guarding his... attraction." Dean heard the hesitation in his voice. Then his next words made his knees weak. "You can't make him your dirty little secret, Dean. He's too good a man for that. He's been hurt, but he's doing better. If you screw with him... " The thinly veiled threat was crystal clear.

"I don't want..." What didn't he want? Cas? No, that was a lie. 

"I'll text you his phone number. He's probably worried sick about Electra." Then Cesar was gone. A second later, a text came through. His fingertip hovered over the underscored number. Closing his eyes, he touched it.

A breathless hello greeted him. "Cas, it's Dean. I have your dog. I have Electra."

"Thank God... I've been searching... she's learned how to open that back door. I don't know how..." The last word was a sob and it hit Dean in his solar plexus. 

"She's safe, Cas. I'll bring her home."

"Thank you... thank you so much."

"See you in ten. Calm down. Drink some coffee. Bye." He hung up and ran up to the house for his keys. He drove the SUV to the barn and opened the hatch. After shoving some of his equipment to the side, he unfolded a blanket roll he kept for emergencies. 

Dean eased the door open and saw the dog curled up next to Maggie's stall. The horse's neck was arched over the half-door, her nose snuffling against the dog's thin fur. "Made a friend, Maggie?"  Both animals looked at him. "Hey, who am I to interfere with a budding relationship, but someone's daddy is worried sick." He pulled a lead rope off a hook and approached the pair.

He squatted back on his heels and reached a hand toward the dog's nose. "Electra. I'm Dean. I won't hurt you." Cesar's words came back to him in a rush. "I'll try not to hurt your dad either." 

Electra allowed him to pet her head and he smiled when her tail thumped against the dirt floor. "Let's get you home, girl." He made a slip knot in the rope and eased it over her head. When he stood, she did too, and followed him docilely. Maggie May whinnied. Dean turned to look at his horse. That was the noise she made when she was hurt or scared. Huh?

Carefully, he lifted the dog into the back of the SUV and shut the hatch. With one last glance at the barn, he got behind the wheel.

As soon as he pulled up, Cas ran out of the door. He was in frayed jeans and a sweatshirt that had seen better days. He was beautiful. As he neared, Dean saw tear tracks down his cheek and that did something to Dean's insides.

Dean quickly opened the hatch and Cas fell on the dog, murmuring silly phrases that made Dean smile. When he was finally finished assuring himself his dog was fine, he looked up at Dean. "Thank you."

"Hey, that's what neighbors do. They look out for each other."

"Where did you find her?"

"She wandered into my barn this morning. Seems her and Maggie May are instant friends."

"Maggie May?" Cas questioned.

"My horse. The big bay. I think she's taken a shine to your dog." Dean saw Cas shiver and he ruffled Electra's ears. "You two should get inside, the temperatures are dropping."

Cas teeth captured his lower lip and Dean was suddenly fascinated by it. That's why he didn't hear Cas speaking until he called out his name. Dean shook his head. "Sorry, what?"

"I asked if you'd like to come in for coffee. I was making breakfast when I realized Electra was gone."

"Coffee? Yeah, sure." This was a mistake. Cesar warned him. But, Cas was already leading Electra into the house. He shut the SUV's door and followed. Inside, the smell of bacon overtook him and he realized he hadn't eaten since his grilled cheese sandwich the night before.

"I'm willing to share." Dean blinked, his eyes locked on Cas'. Cas blushed and damn, if that wasn't ador – no,  _stop_. "Breakfast. I'm willing to share breakfast. I don't share... other things."

"Good to know." He took the coffee from Cas and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. Electra looked at him balefully before going to her bowls. A second later, she was crunching on her kibble. Cas gave her a look of adoration. _What would it be like to be adored by this man_?

The breakfast was light, since Cas wasn't expecting company, but Dean didn't mind. As he ate, he looked around the kitchen. It was modern, but rustic, with beautiful wood cabinetry, open shelving and a galvanized farmhouse sink. "Nice kitchen."

"Thanks," Cas said, finishing his last strip of bacon. "Cain had some great ideas." Dean couldn't help the frown and Cas caught it. "What?"

"Nothing." Cas narrowed his eyes and for a second, Dean let himself imagine them bickering like Jesse and Cesar... like a married... He had to stop this crap. 

"Liar," Cas muttered, picking up his plate and taking it to the sink. "Do you dislike Cain? I thought he was well-loved in this town."

"I don't  _dislike_  him. He just seemed to spend a lot of time over here. People in small towns talk... ya know."

Cas leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. "Were you keeping tabs on me,  _Sheriff_?"

"You know, I really hate when you do that," Dean growled. 

"Do what?" 

" _Sheriff._..." Dean mimicked. "And no, I wasn't keeping tabs on you. I notice things, because I'm the  _sheriff_." Dean saw Cas' lip twitch. The bastard was trying not to laugh at him.

He stood up and took his own plate to the sink. "Keep your mutt on a leash from now on," he snapped and headed for the door. 

"Dean..." Dean kept walking, his boots loud on the shiny hardwood floors. "Dean," Cas called out, sharper than before. He stopped. "Cain... he's my friend. I didn't have many of them back in LA."

His posture slumped and he nodded. "Well, you've made up for it. You've got the entire town thinking you are the next coming of Jesus."

"Hardly." Cas had followed him into the living room and they were a mere five feet apart. Dean looked away first.

"Listen, the snow is coming soon. You should think about getting another vehicle. Something with four-wheel-drive. Your car isn't going to make it down your driveway once winter sets in."

"Maggie May? Did you name her after the Rod Stewart song?" Way to change the subject, stubborn ass. 

"Yeah. I always liked it," Dean admitted. "The appaloosa is Orion. Eileen, my sister-in-law picked that name. Something about the pattern of his spots looking like Orion's belt. She's a freakin' nerd," he said affectionately. "Sweet Caroline... well, Neil Diamond rocks... and Whiskey... he was named because of the color of his coat."

"I'd like to meet them sometime," Cas said softly.

"Come over anytime," Dean offered and their eyes met again. This was beginning to be a thing. The seconds ticked by. "I should... go."

"Thanks again for bringing Electra home."

In the SUV heading home, Dean went over their entire conversation. He'd been so fucking comfortable sitting in that kitchen with Cas. Why couldn't he have that?

It was hard to believe he'd been in Cooper for close to two months. For the first time in his life, he felt like he belonged somewhere. He had a routine now. Alex met him once a week at the library and they talked about books. She was still avoiding any conversation about her pregnancy. He'd made a few gentle suggestions about letting him buy her things, but she would freeze him out. He found it easier to just be her friend. 

The suspicions he had made his blood boil. He had no proof her stepfather raped her, but she had the signs of being abused. He had yet to meet the man, and if he ever did, he might be inclined to punch the motherfucker in the face. The sheriff would have a field day with that. His thoughts turned to Dean and he quickly found something to keep him occupied. Moments later, he was typing out the next chapter in the new book.

The weather was turning colder and he'd had to run over to the Riverton Walmart to buy some warmer clothes. He also ordered a few coats for Electra. Without thick fur, she would freeze outside. He now knew that winters in Wyoming were bad. Temperatures fell below zero and he'd never experienced anything like that. It could prove to be an interesting season.

Friday night, Jesse, Cesar, and Pam had come over for dinner. He'd grilled out hot dogs and hamburgers despite the cold temperatures. As he watched Jesse and Cesar talk about their surrogate's pregnancy, Cas felt a wave of jealousy. Would he ever be a father? He rubbed his hands absently over Electra's ears. At least, he had her. 

His friends had left around nine and he finished cleaning the kitchen. He pulled on his coat and snapped Electra's leash on. It was time for her last bathroom break before bedtime. She sniffed the low bushes around the porch but tugged him further into the yard. In the distance, he saw the lights on at Dean's house. Avoidance didn't seem to be working. He still thought of Dean in bed at night. Every shower he took gave him fantasies of the man. At this rate, he'd have to take stock in Eveready Batteries.

In bed, he struggled to get comfortable. He willed his body to allow him to just go to sleep without visions of Dean in that hotel. He punched his pillow when the image of Dean on his hands and knees appeared in his mind. Damn the man. Why couldn't he fantasize about someone else? That sexy guy who played Lucifer. What was his name? Tom... somebody. He was hot. Dark hair, nice body, so fucking cocky on the show. Almost like Dean...  _shit_. He turned on his bedside lamp. He'd just read for a while.

A while turned into two hours. His eyes were scratchy and he was in a foul mood, but at least his body didn't betray him again. When Electra whined to be let out, he groaned and covered his head with a pillow. God, he was tired.

If anyone from LA saw him now, they'd think he was a homeless person. He was standing on the frosty grass, wearing sweat pants, cowboy boots, a t-shirt, and a thick parka. All he needed was a shopping cart. "Come on, girl. It's cold out here." She gave a final sniff to the small sapling by the driveway and tugged him toward the porch. 

"Breakfast time," he said cheerfully. He filled her bowls with fresh water and dog food, then started the coffeemaker. "You do realize how much I love you, right? You get your breakfast before I get my coffee." She wagged her tail and disappeared into the dining room. He shrugged and fixed his mug, adding plenty of sugar and a splash of milk. 

After setting the frying pan on the stove, he took the eggs and bacon out of the fridge. He was getting ready to start cooking when he felt a draft coming from the other room. Concerned, he stepped around the corner and saw the French doors standing open. "Electra?" He ran to the door. "Electra," he called louder. Panic set in. There were wild animals in the mountains. _Dangerous_ animals. Then there was the highway. Without bothering with a coat this time, he raced around the outside of the house calling her name.

He was about to get into the car to search when his phone rang. It was an unknown number. He didn't have time for someone wanting him to buy a security system. He almost dismissed the call, when something in his mind told him to answer it. "Hello."

 "Cas, it's Dean. I have your dog. I have Electra." In an instant, the adrenaline that had his heart racing, left him in a rush. He sat down on the front porch steps like a puppet whose strings were cut.

"Thank God... I've been searching... she's learned how to open that back door. I don't know how..." He bit back the sob. 

"She's safe, Cas. I'll bring her home."

He gave Dean a heartfelt thank you and heeded his advice to drink some coffee. He was chilled to the bone. Calmer now, he saw his breakfast ingredients still in the pan. Thank God, he'd remembered to turn off the stove. Then he caught his blurred reflection in the stainless-steel refrigerator. "Ugh." 

While he couldn't do anything about his hair, at least he was in jeans, sans cowboy boots. The next thirty minutes were like a weird dream. Dean was in his house. They were talking... almost, but not quite comfortable with each other. Then Castiel brought up Cain. Dean's demeanor changed in the blink of an eye. He actually acted like a jealous lover. He'd been almost out the door and Castiel felt the need to reassure him for some reason.  "Cain... he's my friend. I didn't have many of them back in LA."

His words had the effect he wanted. Dean's anger was gone, but Dean took his place and he was talking about getting some truck... Since that wasn't going to happen, he changed the subject and got Dean talking about his horses. Thankfully, they ended their morning as friends... or at least friendly neighbors.

Monday, he called a fencing company and asked Cain to install a dog door. He would not risk losing Electra again. 

The temperatures continued to drop and the weatherman said something about snow, but since it was only October, Cas expected a few flurries. 

On Thursday afternoon, he locked the house after reassuring Electra he'd be back soon and drove to Riverton for some groceries since he was craving cheeseburgers for some strange reason. The stores were crowded for a weekday and everyone seemed to be in a hurry. At the register, the clerk frowned at his meager supplies. "Hope you have plenty of stuff at home. It's really coming down out there." 

He'd been inside the windowless Walmart for over an hour, since he got caught up on the DVD section. Looking out the automatic doors at the swirling snow, his heart sank. The drive home would be a nightmare. 

Outside, he pulled his scarf up around his face and stowed the groceries in the passenger seat. The windshield wipers worked for a time, but the weight of the snow was making the small motor wheeze. He couldn't see and he tapped his brakes to slow down and suddenly, the tiny car began to spin. He didn't even have time to remember if he was supposed to turn into a skid. There was a jolt and his seatbelt bit into his shoulder. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest. The Spider was sitting at an angle, nose down. He needed to think.

"Shut the engine off, Castiel. You're only ten miles from home. You're a runner. You're in great shape. You can do this." His words sounded extremely loud in the tiny car. He took a deep breath and flipped on his hazard lights. Surely, someone would see him and stop to help. Walking or jogging home in this blizzard wasn't a good idea. "Duh, Jesus, Castiel. You are so stupid." 

He pulled his phone out of his coat pocket and tapped in his password. No bars. He had no fucking bars. He typed a nine and two ones anyway.  _Nothing_. 

Without the engine on, the car was getting colder by the minute. "Alright, dumbass, time to go home." He lovingly patted the car's dashboard. "I will send someone to get you, Sweetheart."

Castiel pushed open his door against the snow already accumulated around the car. He grabbed the two plastic bags of groceries and started walking. He could barely see a few feet in front of his face. 

Trudging through the deepening snow, his mind kept zoning out. He was so damn cold. Why hadn't he listened to everyone about the car? He imagined Electra waiting for him at home.  _Home_ , where it was warm... He stumbled and fell to his knees. Curious, he felt around to see what he'd tripped over. It was a large root. But hadn't he been on the road? Light-headed, he looked around. All he saw was swirling white. He'd rest for a little while...

  


Dean was standing at the door to the station, watching the snow coming down, when Jesse's voice came over the radio. "Car 17 to Dispatch. Come in Dispatch."

Missouri pressed the button and responded. "This is Dispatch. Go ahead Jesse." Dean smiled. Missouri refused to call them by their vehicle call numbers.

"I'd on Country Road 86. I found Castiel Novak's car in a ditch. He's not with the car, Dispatch. I can't see any tracks... the snow's coming down too hard." Dean was frozen in place. "Missouri, we need all units out here... and see if you can get the Staties here too." Dean heard it in Jesse's voice. He was scared.

Without a word, he grabbed his heavy parka. He bolted out into the storm before Missouri could call out to him. He had to find Cas. County Road 86 was the back way into Riverton. It was a lonely two-lane road. He flipped on his siren and light-bar. The chains on his tires dug into the asphalt, sending a shower of white powder in his wake.  His hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his fingertips were going numb. "I'll find you," he whispered.

He passed Cas' driveway. He knew it was Cas' driveway by the knarly old pine tree by the road. His mailbox sticking out of a bank of snow. He snatched up the mike. "Jesse, I'm just passing my place. How far away are you?"

"Roughly six miles. A Statie is at the accident site. I'm heading your way. Hoping we pass him on the road." 

"Me too," Dean said softly, once the mike was on its hook. "Me too," he repeated. The high beams of his headlights cut through the snow giving him visibility of about ten feet in front of the car. He slowed. Cas could be anywhere. The minutes seemed to crawl. Then up ahead, he saw the blue flashing lights of Jesse' cruiser. They pulled along aside of each other. Dean rolled down his window and yelled across to his deputy. "I'm heading to the house to grab the horses. Call Cesar and have him trailer yours to my place. We've got to find him. It'll be dark soon." Dean knew the panic in his voice was coming through loud and clear. "Have Missouri call the fire department. I'll need them to get the snowmobiles out to the accident site. You will spread out and we'll do the same. Constant radio contact. Understand?" Jesse nodded and rolled up his window.

Dean carefully turned the SUV around. He took out his phone. He made four calls. At his barn, he ran inside and started saddling the horses. As he cinched the last girth, he thought he heard an engine. He patted Maggie's flank and went to the door. Three trucks were in his yard. Sam, Benny, and Jody got out of their respective vehicles. Moments later, Garth's cruiser came to a stop beside Dean.  They all huddled around him. 

"Cesar is bringing his horses. With his, we'll have six. Jesse is back at Cas' car." He explained his plan to his friends. As he was finishing up, another truck pulling a horse trailer could be seen making its way down his driveway. He helped Cesar saddle his two and all of them grabbed emergency blankets and gear from their trucks.  

"Be careful," Dean called out as he mounted Maggie. He rubbed his hand down her neck. "Come on, girl. Let's find him."

It was slow going. He wouldn't push his horse to go faster through the thick snow. He couldn't risk her tripping and hurting one of her legs. He figured he'd gone a mile when he began calling Cas' name. Even though it wasn't dark yet, the other riders had their flashlights on and emergency glow sticks tied to their horses' bridles. They'd spread out keeping about twenty to twenty-five yards between them. They might have an hour of daylight left. 

Another mile... his voice was hoarse from screaming Cas' name.  In the distance, he made out the roar of snowmobiles. "Hold on, Cas... just hold on." Those words had become a mantra. 

Even with gloves, his hands were starting to hurt from the cold. His radio squawked and he reached for it. "Winchester," he snapped.

"Sheriff, it's Max. I found two plastic Walmart bags full of food. He's around here somewhere." Max was talking on an open channel, so Dean knew the entire rescue team heard it.

"Ten-four, Max. Everybody, eyes open," he said. Releasing the button, he clicked his tongue at Maggie. "He's close. He's gotta be close."  She plodded through the snow, and Dean kept his eyes sweeping over the sea of white. He blinked the snow from his vision and yanked hard on the reins. Something wasn't right. 

White... so much white... then blue. "Cas..." Then louder, "Cas." He kicked Maggie's flank and she leapt forward. He was off his horse and stumbling through the snow, shouting Cas' name. He heard voices from his radio, but didn't bother to answer. He'd found Cas.

Cas was lying in a snowbank, his legs covered, but it looked like he'd attempted to brush away the snow around his chest and face. Dean dropped to his knees beside him. "Cas..." Blue eyes blinked open only to close again. He was alive. 

Someone shoved a blanket at him and he pulled Cas into his arms. Several pairs of hands helped him get Cas wrapped up. Max snapped packets of hand warmers and shoved them into Cas' gloves. "Let's get him loaded," Cole said and one of the other firemen pulled a snowmobile right up to them. The acrid smell of fuel making Dean's stomach roll. 

It took three of them to get Cas onto the seat and Max got ready to mount behind him, but Dean grabbed his arm. "No, you take my horse. I'll ride with him." No one spoke and all eyes were on him. It was Cesar that snapped everyone out of their shock.

"You heard the man. Dean's place is closer. We will meet up there. Jesse, have Missouri send out an ambulance. Let's go!" He shouted the last part and everyone moved at once. Dean got behind Cas and reached around him for the toggle switch. The machine roared to life and he felt Cas' head lull forward. 

"I got you, Cas. You hang on." He pressed his lips to the back of Cas' head. The other snowmobiles led the way, followed by Dean going much slower, and then the riders. At the rate they were traveling, it took them close to thirty minutes to get to Dean's.

The ambulance's red strobe lights were the first thing Dean saw, and then he could make out the shape of his house. Two paramedics were waiting and jumped out when they came to a stop. "Get him inside," Dean said, unfolding his cold limbs from around Cas' body.

"Sheriff, we'll take it from here," one of the paramedics said and Dean rounded on him.

"Listen, it'll take you forever to get to the hospital in Riverton. Grab your equipment and get him inside the house. We've got to get him warm." Knowing he was right, the men took several bags and cases out of the ambulance. 

Sam and Dean managed to get Cas into the house and onto the couch. "Someone, light a fire. Sam, go turn up the heat. Jody, grab the quilts off my bed and throw them in the dryer to warm up." Everyone scrambled to do Dean's bidding.  The two paramedics began stripping Cas of his clothes. Dean closed his eyes. He knew they needed to get him out of his wet, cold things, but he didn't have to like it.

Jesse was the one who pulled him back so the paramedics could work. He winced as they started an IV. His skin looked so pale. Jody came in with the warm quilts and arranged them over his legs and torso. Cesar came up behind him and put his hands on Dean's shoulders. "He's safe now, Dean."

Dean turned his head to stare into the other man's eyes. "I should have insisted he... he..." Dean stopped, his throat suddenly too tight to breathe. Cesar pulled him close and Dean clung to him. "I could have lost him."

The room went silent and Dean realized what he'd said. Out loud. "I think we should give these guys some room to work. Let's get those horses out of the cold," Jesse ordered, taking charge. Moments later, Dean stood by the fireplace, watching as the paramedics made Cas comfortable. 

"Dean." The whispered word was scratchy and barely audible. Dean shot forward. 

One of the paramedics stood and nodded to the other one. "Sheriff, he's stable. There are no signs of frostbite. He just needs to stay warm. If you'll point us toward the kitchen, we'll make some coffee." Dean pointed and they left him alone with Cas. He sat on the floor beside the couch. He took one of Cas' still cold hands in his. Blue eyes opened and this time, the focused on him. 

He smiled. "I told you to get a truck, dumbass."

"How..." Cas' voice cracked and Dean shushed him.

"We'll talk when you're warm and rested." He watched Cas' eyes close again and soon his breathing was deep and even. Sam and Jesse trooped back inside a few minutes later.

"The horses are bedded down for the night and Cesar went over to Castiel's to get Electra. We thought she'd be a little frantic when he doesn't come home," Sam told him, coming closer to the couch. His gaze lit on Dean's hand holding Cas'. Dean made eye contact with his brother and held it. Sam's smile was all he needed. He was tired of hiding. For once, he was going to go after what he wanted. What he almost lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I use the term "Statie" in this chapter. For those of you who aren't familiar with the term. Statie is a nickname for State Troopers. In the US, law enforcement is broken down into three categories within a state - State Troopers are in charge of all Interstate Highways. Sheriff Departments are in charge of counties. And Police Departments are in charge of cities. In some small towns, were budgets are tight, the Sheriff Department handles the town as well.
> 
> Also, blizzards in the mountainous regions of Wyoming are not that uncommon in October. I looked it up. Mr. Google is my best friend.


	7. Chapter 7

A cool, wet nose on his warm arm startled Castiel awake. Was it morning already? This didn't feel like his bed... He opened his eyes and looked around. The room was barely lit by a light shining from another room. Electra had her head on his chest now and he absent-mindedly ruffled her ears. Where was he? 

The events of the day came back to him in a rush of images. His beloved car veering off the road. The thick snow. The bitter, numbing cold.

He tried to sit up and realized he was on someone's couch. That was when he saw Dean, on the floor, asleep. It wasn't a dream after all. Dean  _had_ rescued him. He stared at him for several minutes. He looked so much younger in his slumber.

Castiel assumed he was at Dean's house, but how had Electra gotten here? He reached for her and winced at the sharp pull of medical tape on his arm hair. A gauze pad was held in place at the bend of his elbow.

More awake now, he took in his surroundings. Embers burned reddish, orange in the fireplace and several pictures sat upon the mantel. The light wasn't strong enough for him to see who or what was in the pictures.

The furniture was leather, just a couch, a large coffee table, and a recliner. The room itself wasn't big. He craned his neck to see inside the doorway and saw that the kitchen was where the light came from.

What time was it? He noticed a window and saw that it was still dark outside. Had the snow stopped? He couldn't tell.

Carefully, he pushed back the heavy quilt covering him. He was naked except for his boxers. Had Dean undressed him? That was a thought for another time. Right now, he needed a bathroom. He threw his legs over the side of the couch, avoiding Dean's sprawled body below him. If he was anything like Castiel, he was going to have a backache in the morning. 

Electra's nails clicked on the wood floors as she followed him toward a dark hallway. He ran his hand along the wall until he came to an opening. Reaching around he found a switch. "Bingo." 

After peeing, he looked in the mirror. "God, I look hideous."  He put his hand in front of his mouth and blew into it. And his breath was disgusting. He picked up a tube of toothpaste and squeezed some out on his finger. After rubbing it around in his mouth, he felt somewhat better. His dog was waiting from him when he opened the door.

Before he could stop her, she walked over to Dean and licked his face. He moaned and slapped at his face. Castiel grabbed her collar and hissed, "No, Electra." She gave him a reproachful look and whined. Dean groaned again and sat up, rubbing his eyes. 

"What the..." He stared at Electra before his eyes traveled up Castiel's body. "Why are you out of bed?"

"Technically, I wasn't in bed."

"Smartass. It's like in the middle of the night, man." 

"I don't know what time it is. Where are my clothes? My phone... it was in my pocket." Had he lost it in the snow?

"I think Jody put your things in the dryer. Your wallet, keys, and phone are on the kitchen counter. Do you remember what happened?" Dean was staring at him intently and kept dropping his eyes to Castiel's chest and even lower. He felt naked, so he quickly stepped over Dean's legs and curled up on the couch, covering himself with the quilt.

"I remember the accident. I couldn't get cell service." He picked at the edge of the quilt as he remembered. "It was so cold and I thought I could make it home. With all the snow... I got turned around. I didn't know where I was or which direction home was anymore." He did recall the feeling of utter hopelessness. "I thought I was going to die," he murmured.

Dean brought his knees up and wrapped his arms around them. "Another hour and we probably..." Dean stopped as if searching for the right words.

"How did you find me?"

"It was a group effort. Jesse came up on your car in the ditch and called it in. Within twenty minutes of the call, we had snowmobiles and horses out searching. Sam, Cesar, Garth, Jody... the fire department." 

"I owe all of you my life." How could he repay something like that?

"Hey, it's what we do," Dean said dismissively.

"No, it isn't. I was stupid. I didn't listen to you... or anyone else. I knew it snowed here. I'm not a complete idiot. Or maybe I am."

"Yeah, you're a dumbass, but you're safe and warm. And you probably learned your lesson."

"I remember... you called me a dumbass earlier." He remembered Dean telling him he had him. He closed his eyes. Dean was holding him, trying to warm him. 

"Yeah, well, I was kind of freaked out, Cas. I thought I'd... we'd lost you." Castiel heard the correction and tucked it away for later speculation. For now, he had other questions.

"How did Electra get here?"

"Cesar knew she'd be going nuts without you coming home, so he went over and got her." He'd told a few of his friends where he kept a spare key. He was glad now.

"I'll need to thank him." He looked down at Electra and she was lying on the floor, her head resting on Dean's thigh. She was always standoffish to all his friends, even those that came to the house regularly. How had Dean won her over? "My car..."

"Bobby took the tow truck out to get her. She is at the garage. You'll have to give him a call come daylight. I'm sure she has some body work that will need to be done." Castiel added that to his list of things that needed to be done. Find a body shop that could handle a classic car.

He held out his arm. "What's this?" He pointed to the bandage.

"The paramedics started a line on you."

"Paramedics," Castiel shouted. Electra rose to her feet and came to him, sensing his distress. He'd inconvenienced the entire town with his stupidity.

"Easy, Cas." Dean's face was filled with concern. "We had to call an ambulance. You had hypothermia. I couldn't risk something serious happening to you." Dean rose to his feet and shoved his hands in the pocket of his jeans. "Why don't you try to get some more rest." With that, he walked into the kitchen.

 How was he supposed to rest? 

Cas slept through the comings and goings of everyone. It was after ten when the last person left. The paramedics had deemed Cas okay and they took the IV out before they left. Exhausted, Dean banked the fire and sat on the floor next to the couch watching Cas sleep. He was still pale, but his skin was warm to the touch. The entire night he'd been telling himself that Cas would be alright, now it was finally sinking in. 

He sat there thinking about his life and what he wanted. The stark terror he'd felt when Cas was missing had shaken him. Had he ever been that scared? Was this what it felt like to really want someone? Sure, he lusted after Cas. He wasn't going to deny that anymore. But this... needing something more. This was uncharted territory for Dean.

Sam had been the last to leave and he'd hugged Dean. "Don't let him slip away, Dean." Dean hadn't been able to respond. Now, in the flickering firelight, he wondered how he was going to do this. He didn't even notice his eyes drifting shut after such a stressful day.

What was that? Whatever it was had bad morning breath. He sat up and dug the heels of his hands into his eyes. "What the..." Cas' dog was in his face. He blinked a few times to clear the sleep from his eyes and then his gaze went up... strong thighs... abort... He'd seen what was barely hidden by those boxers. If he wanted to keep a clear head, he need to focus on the man and not his dick. "Why are you out of bed?"

The conversation started out fine. Cas remembered the highlights of his accident. Dean filled him in on the rescue. The dude was upset so many people came out to help. He didn't understand the way things were done here. LA must be the type of place where everyone is out for Number One. Screw that.

He'd been worried about that stupid toy car of his, but Dean reassured him that Jesse had arranged to have it towed. Bobby had come got it himself. Then he had to go and ask about the IV. Dean watched his body curl in on itself. 

"Easy, Cas," Dean said softly. "We had to call an ambulance. You had hypothermia. I couldn't risk something serious happening to you." He'd meant to say we. He needed to walk away now before he said anything else stupid. "Why don't you try to get some more rest." 

Dean stepped into his kitchen and leaned on the counter. Electra came to the doorway and stood watching him. "Need some water?" Her tail moved slowly back and forth. "I'll take that as a yes." He got a bowl out of the cabinet and filled it with water. When he put it on the floor, she came over and began lapping it up. 

"Thank you, Dean."

"Cas... stop thanking me. I only did what anyone in my position would have done. We all did. If someone else got lost, I'd bet you'd be out there looking with the rest of us..."

"I was talking about taking care of Electra for me." Oh, well, shit. He'd wrapped the quilt around him so Dean didn't have to deal with seeing his half naked body. That was a plus. Or a minus, depending on how you looked at it.

"I told you to go back to sleep. It's only..." Dean looked at the clock on the microwave. "four o'clock."

"I don't think I can sleep." They stood in an awkward silence until Dean, needing something to do, started making coffee. "Dean?"

The way he said Dean's name told him he wasn't going to like what was coming next. He kept his back turned. "What?"

"Were you married when... when you were in LA?" 

Dean whipped around. "What? No... I've never been married. What kind of question is that?" Cas thought he'd be the type of man to cheat. So much for any hope for a relationship. The dude didn't even trust him.

"But, the woman in the blue truck... with the boy..." 

"Lisa? What about her? We were seeing each other. Cas, this is a small town. You can't tell me you didn't hear the rumors. We broke up. End of story. She blamed it on Anna, but that wasn't why." He huffed out an exaggerated breath and rubbed the back of his neck in frustration.

"That's another thing I'm curious about. Anna said you and she were engaged."

"Anna and I dated, but I never asked her to marry me." Dean listened to his words. No wonder Cas thought he was a dick. Seeing things through Cas' eyes made him a two-timing asshole. He could see it in Cas' eyes, right now, in his very own kitchen. Cas hung his head and turned to leave. 

Damn it, this couldn't be happening. He had no time to think or to hide behind his closeted mask. "Cas, I was seeing Lisa and Anna, had been for a long time. They both knew about the other. I wasn't hiding it or cheating on them. I wouldn't do that. Was it the best idea? No, but I thought we were all getting what we wanted. I was wrong. So, very wrong, but Cas, I'd never cheat. I broke up with both of them because... because I wanted something else, and they both deserved something more." Cas was listening, but his eyes were fixed on the floor and not Dean. What more could he say? How could he defend his actions, when his actions had been wrong? "I'll take you home," Dean said, resigned. For the first time in his life he'd come clean to someone and to himself, and it was all for nothing.

In order not to get close to Cas, Dean exited the kitchen through the tiny dining room he never used. It didn't even have any furniture in it, just a couple of sawhorses and some of his tools. He walked through and once he was back in the living room, he picked his keys off the bookcase by the door. Cas was looking at him from the doorway. "Make sure you get your wallet and phone off the counter." 

Instead of moving, he leaned against the doorjamb and asked, "What did you want?" Dean stared at him in confusion. As if sensing Dean's dilemma, Cas added, "You said you wanted something else."

Dean dropped his gaze to the keys in his hand and shrugged. "I wasn't sure at the time. I just knew I wasn't doing either one of them any favors." He sensed Cas moving closer. 

"You weren't sure at the time, but now? Do you know what you want?" Dean's heart began to beat faster. He couldn't do this. Why couldn't Cas just fucking read minds? In his downcast range of vision, he could see Cas' bare feet now. Unable to answer, he stood there, wishing Scotty would beam him up. Maybe to a holodeck or maybe the bridge, where Captain Kirk would let him drive the Enterprise. "Dean?" 

"I want a lot of things, Cas." He knew it was a copout, but in the last twenty-four hours, he'd almost lost the man he'd developed feelings for, basically came out to an entire room of friends and co-workers, and maybe, just maybe, had a small fantasy about the two of them making a go of this... whatever this was. Dean Winchester's quota for chick flick moments was up. 

Cas sighed dramatically. "You are the most stubborn... pig-headed... frustrating..." 

"I might not be some fancy-assed writer, but I do know that stubborn and pig-headed are pretty much the same thing." He'd barely got the last word out of his mouth before Cas was kissing him. Dean lifted his hands and rested them on Cas' hips.  His thumbs touched bare skin and he remembered Cas was still in his underwear and a quilt. He moaned at the thought and Cas' tongue wrapped around his. All further brain activity ceased. It was Cas... just Cas.

How they got from the middle of the living room to the couch, Dean didn't know, but having Cas under him, all smooth skin and hard muscle, made him forget his own name. He latched on to Cas' nipple while toeing off his boots. The sound Cas made drove him to strip faster.  Shimming out of his tight jeans proved to be frustrating and it was Cas that helped shove them down his thighs. Dean groaned when Cas' hand found his cock through the cotton of his boxer briefs. His lips were moving along Dean's neck, sucking at the sensitive skin. He wasn't expecting the sharp nip of teeth at the base of his throat and he gasped. Cas' tongue was there to soothe and a murmured, 'shhhh', had Dean closing his eyes. He surrendered himself to Cas' very capable mouth and hands. When Cas rolled them so Dean back was on the couch, his instinct was to resist, but Cas whispered, "Relax, Dean, I'm going to make you feel so good."

Dean watched through hooded eyes as Cas finished undressing him. The couch wasn't the best place for two six-foot men to fool around, but Dean didn't have the energy or desire to suggest moving this to the bedroom. Blue eyes, dark like a stormy sea, caught and held his as Cas' lips closed around the head of Dean's cock. Wet and hot, Cas mouth did amazing things and soon, Dean was moving his hips up and down, gently fucking Cas' beautiful face.

A memory, unbidden, filled Dean's mind. Cas, at the time, an unknown stranger, pushing his slick fingers into Dean. He wanted that... needed it. "Cas, I want..." He didn't say the words, just widened his legs wantonly. 

Cas' eyes were unblinking and he didn't stop swirling his tongue around the head of Dean's cock.  God damn, he had a talented mouth. Cas' hands were caressing his thighs, slow and easy, meant to relax, but Dean's senses were too close to the surface. His muscles tightened and his hands trembled as they tried to gain purchase on the leather couch. 

His orgasm came without warning. He gave a strangled cry. Every nerve felt like it was on fire. Cas took his load and swallowed, his teeth scraping against the head of Dean's cock, causing him to jerk and flail his hands. Cas sucked every drop of cum until Dean was pretty close to sobbing. His body felt drained of energy. Lazily, he reached for Cas' head, intent on pulling him up for a kiss.

Cas seemed to have other ideas, because he rose up on his knees between Dean's thighs and took his shaft in his hand. Dean's eyes were drawn to it. Cas' cock was dark with the blush of blood, thick, and the head was wet with arousal. He watched as Cas' fist moved up and down, faster and faster. "Come on me, Cas." The words sounded dirty and Dean thought he might have went too far, but Cas' mouth parted and his eyes grew even stormier. 

His hand was a blur and Dean couldn't look away. He wanted to see Cas come... wanted to feel his hot cum on his stomach... he wanted to be marked as Cas'. Only Cas'. The thought should have filled him with panic. It should have, but it didn't. "I... I... need you, Cas."

"Mine. You're... mine... Dean," Cas panted out the words and then moaned. His mouth formed a silent O as his body seized. Hot, thick streams of cum splashed onto Dean's flaccid cock and stomach. Spent, Cas sat back on his heels, his breathing harsh and loud in the silence of the early morning. When his eyes focused again, they met Dean's. Slowly, sexily, Dean reached his forefinger into the rapidly cooling mess on his belly and brought it to his mouth, tasting the essence that was Cas.

Cas licked his lips as if he, too, was sharing in the experience. With a lifted brow, Dean reached down again, this time lifting it up. Cas leaned forward and sucked Dean's finger into his mouth, eyes closed. It was one of the hottest things Dean had ever seen outside a porn flick.

The aftermath of their morning on the couch was what Castiel would call domestic. They showered together and both dressed warmly. While Dean made them something to eat, Castiel took Electra out for a walk. 

Electra bounded through the snow, pulling Castiel along with her energy. She did her business but didn't seem inclined to go back inside the house. She led him to the barn. There were two horse trailers parked on the side, where usually there was one. From Dean's explanation about his rescue, Castiel assumed that the other one belonged to Jesse and Cesar. His dog was pawing at the door and Castiel pushed it open. It swung inward soundlessly. She automatically tugged on the leash. 

There were six horses staring back at them, large heads hanging over the half-doors. "Hello," Castiel greeted them softly. Growing up in the city, the only experience he had with the big beasts were pony rides at fairs. He'd been afraid of them then, and these were twice as big. Electra was about to choke herself in her desire to get to the brown horse at the end of the row. That must be Maggie May. The two animals touched noses and Electra's tail began to wag excitedly.  "Okay, Girl, you've said hello, now we need to get back inside."

As he pulled her away, she whined and the big horse began stomping her hooves. "I'm sorry. She can come visit you later." He closed the door behind them and noticed Electra's tail was tucked between her legs. "Hey, you'll get to see her again. I promise." His words didn't change her demeanor and he felt bad when he almost had to drag her up the steps to the house.

Dean looked up from the stove when Castiel entered the kitchen. "You were gone long enough. I almost called out the search party again." At Castiel's shattered expression, Dean added quickly, "Too soon? Come on, Cas, I was just teasing." 

"I feel guilty enough, Dean," Castiel murmured. 

Dean put down the spatula and turned down the burner before coming to stand in front of Castiel. He put his hand on Castiel's cheek and forced him to look at him. "You have no reason to feel guilty, babe. This is what we are trained for and trust me, we get calls for missing people all the time during the first few snowfalls. Even locals can get turned around in a blizzard."

"But if I would have listened to everyone about my car..." Dean kissed him and Castiel knew it was just to shut him up. He pulled away and saw Dean frown.

"Cas, babe, we all do stupid shit. We learn from our mistakes and move forward." That was twice now that Dean called him  _babe_. It made him feel better. He brushed a quick kiss on Dean's lips and pointed to the stove.

"Arent' you going to feed me?" 

"Already getting bossy with me and we haven't even been on our first date yet." Dean's smile disappeared. "Not that we need to go out or anything." 

Was this Dean's way of saying that he still wasn't ready to come out of the closet? Castiel felt like he was on an emotional roller coaster. For every good thing, there was something that twisted inside of him. His words were harsher than he intended. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about us."

Dean's eyes widened. "Whoa, what are you... Jesus, Cas, after this morning, you really think I want to keep us a secret? Hell, after last night, the entire town knows that I've got feelings for you."

"Last night?" Castiel was confused. 

"Cas, I couldn't really hide my panic when Jesse found your car. And then finding you..." He turned away and went back to the stove. Castiel waited. It was obvious Dean was out of his element. With his back to Castiel, he finally spoke again. "I almost lost you and was coming unglued. I don't really remember what I said." Castiel saw the small shrug. "Anyway, I'll give it until noon before the whole town knows we're seeing each other."

"I'm sorry, Dean. I know you didn't want anyone to know," Castiel said, taking a step toward Dean, but stopping. Maybe he should give Dean his space to come to terms with everything. Coming out isn't easy. 

"It doesn't matter, Cas. Not anymore." He turned and gave Castiel a smile. "I can't promise I'll be the best boyfriend you've ever had, but I'll try my best."

It was Castiel's turn to smile. "Boyfriend?"

Dean's face turned the most charming shade of pink and his shoulders slumped forward. "Guess that sounds kind of juvenile. And I didn't even ask if you were interested in seeing where this goes."

Castiel moved to his side and wrapped his arms around Dean's waist. "Boyfriend sounds really good to me and I'm definitely interested. I thought I made that clear this morning."

During breakfast, the two men talked about Lisa, Anna, and Mick. It was cathartic to talk to Dean about Mick. He didn't say anything nasty about Mick's behavior like some were prone to do, instead, he covered Castiel's hand in his and just listened. 

Together, they cleaned up the kitchen and a thought struck Castiel. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?" He glanced at the clock on the microwave. It was close to ten.

"While you were out walking Electra, I called Missouri and told her I'd be in later," Dean said dismissively. 

"Oh, well, okay. You can take me home now. I've encroached on enough of your time." Dean rounded on him. 

"See, this is going to be a problem." Castiel stared blankly back at Dean. What was he talking about?"You read stuff into my words. Somehow from _I_ _called Missouri and told her I'd be in later_ , you got  _Dean's tired of my ass and I need to go home_. I'm a pretty outspoken kind of guy, Cas. If I'm tired of your ass, I'll be sure and let you know. Capisce?"

"I capisce," Castiel said with a smile. 

"Good. Now that that's settled. I should get ready for work. I'll drop you and the mutt off at your house on my way in. I was thinking that maybe we could grab some dinner at Benny's. It's crawfish boil night."

"Are you asking me out, Sheriff Winchester?"

"Depends on if you say yes or not," Dean said, grabbing onto Castiel's belt loop and pulling him in. "If you say no, I'll have to explain to everyone how you used me and tossed me aside."

"Well, in that case, I'll have to say yes." Dean lowered his mouth and stole a quick kiss before backing away. 

"Come talk to me while I get ready." Castiel followed him into the bedroom. While Dean rummaged around in his closet, Castiel took in the room. It was simple and masculine. The bed had a carved headboard and the dresser matched the dark wood. A large painting hung over the bed of a familiar horse.

"Is that Sweet Caroline?" Dean looked up and followed Castiel's eyes. 

"Yeah. Pam painted it for me."

"Pam? I had no idea she painted. She's quite good."

"I want her to do one of all four of them for over the fireplace," Dean said, sitting on the bed to pull on a pair of well-loved cowboy boots. From there, he stood and went to the dresser. He pinned on his star and Castiel saw him in his role for the first time. Before, a sheriff was someone on television. Dean was the real thing. He helped people and kept the bad guys from hurting those in his town. 

"Why did you become a sheriff?" Dean pursed his lips and lifted his shoulder, only to drop it again. 

"Long story. I was a cop in Dallas. When things went south there, Sam told me about an opening for a deputy. I applied, interviewed, and took the job. Once Frank made noises about retiring, he started grooming me for the sheriff's position."  Castiel had a feeling that was the abridged version, but Dean's posture told him the subject wasn't his favorite. He let it drop. "You ready?"

Castiel and Dean loaded Electra in the back of the SUV and he got into the passenger seat. "I've never been in a police car before," he said, looking at all the equipment. There was a small tablet mounted on a movable arm. A complex radio was right under the dashboard.

"That's good to know, Cas. I'd hate to have to break up with you because you were a jailbird."

"I will do my best to live up to your high expectations, Dean," Castiel said dryly and Dean laughed. He really liked Dean's laugh. 


	8. Chapter 8

All heads turned to him when he walked into the station. "What?" Innocent eyes stared back at him. "Come on, out with it," he said, eyes locking on Jesse, who blushed.

Missouri stood up and moved to him, surprising him with a motherly hug. "Boy, you have no idea how long I've waited for you to find someone that makes you happy."

When she finally let him go, he spoke softly, just to her. "You don't care... that he's a he?" The box to the back of his head came swift and hard.

"Boy, don't be stupid." Her dark eyes looked furious. "I can't even believe you would think I, or anyone else in this town, would think different of you. That is an insult to all of us," she said, her eyes encompassing the rest of the people in the room.

Dean looked around and all his deputies were nodding along with Missouri's words. When his eyes got to Jesse, he saw disappointment there. "Jesse, I'm..." 

Jesse held up his hand, cutting off his words. "I'm due out on patrol." With that, he was gone, the door slamming shut behind him. 

Jody caught Dean's arm to keep him from following. "He's hurt. Let him be for a while." Missouri nodded and Dean released a long, tired breath before heading for his office. He sat down at his desk and put his face in his hands. Of all the people in town to keep his secret from... Jesse and Cesar were his friends. He'd been to their house for dinner, had beers with them at the Roadhouse, and had been one of the first they'd told about their plans to have a baby. And he'd basically lied to them. Lied to everyone. 

Feeling resigned, he knew he had something important to do. It needed to come from him and not town gossip. Lisa would be at the school, but he could probably catch her between classes. He grabbed his hat and told Missouri he had an errand to run. 

He checked in at the office and made his way through the high school. As he neared her classroom, the bell rang and the hall filled with teenagers. He took off his hat and stood at her door, waiting for her to notice him. When she finally did, his tentative smile was met with a frown. "What do you want, Dean?"

"I need to tell you something." He held his hat nervously in one hand. This was going to be hard.

"Spare me the invitation to your engagement party. I'm sure Anna wouldn't want me there anyway."

"I didn't lie to you, Lisa. Anna and I aren't seeing each other anymore."

 "You aren't?"

Dean closed her door and leaned against it, not wanting anyone to interrupt. "When I went out to LA last year, I met someone." Her eyes flashed angrily. "Wait, let me get this out.  _Please_." She nodded and sat on the edge of her desk. "I met a man." Her expression showed shock and he rushed to continue while he still had the courage. "It was just one night, but funny thing... he moved to Cooper. Not to find me, but maybe it was just fate. God, that sounds stupid." He ran his fingers through this hair.

"You... Castiel Novak, the writer?" He shrugged and gave her another smile. "Oh... wow... so, you're gay?"

"Not gay, Lisa. Jeez, you're the smart one here. Sex wasn't ever an issue with us." Her posture relaxed and her face just held curiosity now. "He's just... I don't know. I never forgot that one night and then he waltzes into town and I wanted to hate him. I wanted him to go back where he came from because I was afraid."

"That's why you pushed me away." It was more of a statement than a question, so Dean didn't bother to respond.

"I cared about you... and Ben. You had to know that."

"I did." She stood and walked toward him. "I knew that you didn't love me." She laughed softly. "Sometimes I thought you loved Ben more than me."

"Ben is a great kid and I'd still love for y'all to come over to ride sometimes," he said softly. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead. "Friends?"

"Sure." She was about to say something else when the bell rang. 

"Bye, Lisa." A surge of students came through the door and he walked away. He had one more stop to make.

The bank wasn't too busy and he managed to catch Anna's eye. She came out from behind the teller's cage and motioned him to her desk. "Hi," she said softly. She was dressed in a dark brown suit that looked good with her complexion and fiery red hair.

"I need to tell you something." She sat down and he did too. He told her the same story he told Lisa. Whereas Lisa was calm and cool about it, Anna was not. Her expression hardened with every word. When he got to the end about him and Cas reconnecting, she slapped her hands on the desk. The noise had heads turning.

"You let me make a complete fool out of myself. All this time, the dinners and the phone calls, the dates... I cannot believe this. It was one thing to know you were sleeping with that whore, but men too. God, Dean, I... I... hate you."

The words stung and people were staring. Angrily, he stood up. "First of all, Lisa isn't a whore. And secondly, it was one man. Just one." Turning on his heel, he stomped out of the bank.  _That went well_. 

When he got back to the station, his mood hadn't improved. Missouri's announcement made it worse. "Jody has Alex Jones in the interview room."

"Why?" He hung up his coat and hat and frowned in the direction of the room.

"She was caught keying her stepfather's car."  _Damn it_. He knew Cas was close to the teen. How was he supposed to handle this? 

He knocked once and opened the door. A sullen Alex and a frustrated Jody sat on opposite sides of the table. "Jody, Alex, what's going on?" He purposefully addressed both of them, hoping to show Alex that he was going to be fair.

Alex's response was to fold her arms over her large belly and stare at the two-way mirror. Jody rolled her eyes, but said, "Miss Jones was caught behind the funeral home, keying her stepfather's car. Red-handed, by Ash. She isn't denying that she was the one who painted the penis on the door either." 

"Jody, can you leave us alone for a sec?" Jody gave him a funny look, but left the room. Dean sat in the chair she vacated. "Alex, I know you hate your..." 

"If you call him my stepfather, I will..." She stopped when she realized she didn't have anything to threaten him with.

"Got it," Dean said softly. "You hate Dick... I get that." They shared a look and Dean leaned back in his chair, holding in a laugh. "Okay, that doesn't sound any better. Can you just tell me why you're vandalizing shit?" Dean caught her eyes drift down to her pregnant stomach and he knew. He stood abruptly and swore. "That son of a bitch. Why didn't you tell anyone?" A thought hit him. "Did you tell Cas?" If Cas hid something like this...

"Cas? You mean Castiel? No. No, I couldn't... And you can't tell anyone. This town already thinks I'm trash. They'll think I... they'll think this is my fault." A tear appeared at the corner of her eye and hung there a second before running down her cheek.

"Hey, no they won't." He sat down again and reached across the table for her hands. They were trembling. "I have to ask you a question." Her eyes looked wary. "Did he rape you?"

She snatched her hands away, rage marring her pretty face. "Do you think I would... "

"Shhhh, I had to ask to make it official, Sweetheart."

"Official?" She hiccupped as tears began to fall.

"Alex, he raped you. I can arrest him and make sure he never touches you again."

She started shaking her head. "No... no, you can't. We... mom and I... don't have any money. If you arrest him, we can't pay the bills." Dean closed his eyes. He had to arrest the man, it was his duty. He'd also get a warrant for a paternity test. That would help the case when it got to trail. That bastard raped her. He had to think. 

"Look, I've got to talk to him."

"Please... don't. I'll get a job and pay for the damages. I won't do it again," she pleaded.

"Alex..."

"You're... going to... ruin... everything," she shouted. Her face was blotchy from the tears. Snot was running out of her nose and she couldn't seem to catch her breath.

"Calm down, Alex. Please." The blood drained from her face and he stood, quickly coming around the end of the table. He pulled her close and she didn't fight him. Soft sobs racked her body. "Shhhh. We'll figure it out."

It took a few minutes before the crying stopped and it was like she shut down. She sat in the chair, staring blankly ahead. Over her shoulder, he looked into the mirrored wall. He knew Jody was there. A moment later, the door opened and Jody came in with a can of Coke and a box of tissues. He left Alex in his deputy's capable hands. 

His first instinct was to find Dick Roman and beat him to within an inch of his life. Unable to do that, he closed his office door and punched the wall. When he came out a few minutes later, Missouri held out an ice pack. He put it on his bruised knuckles and gave her a tight smile. "Garth, come ride with me." 

In the SUV, he told Garth the story. "She's adamant about it, but the fucker needs to go to jail. She's just a fucking kid and he raped her." Dean's temper was gearing up and Garth, always the voice of reason, could always talk him down.

"Let's go get him, then." Garth's tone was off.

"What?" Dean took his eyes off the road to stare at Garth. The look on his friend's face was one of rage. He'd never seen Garth like this.

"This town won't let anything happen to Alex or her mom. Let's get the motherfucker." Dean's eyes widened. Garth never cursed, let alone say anything that _nasty_. Alright, it was on. He flipped on the lights, not bothering with the sirens. He made a quick U-turn and pulled into the funeral home's parking lot. He took a minute to glance at Alex's handiwork on Roman's car. He smirked at the large F and U.

He'd never admit it, but the funeral home gave him the heebie-jeebies. Ash, his mullet falling on the shoulders of his dark suit, came out to greet them. "Guess you're here to talk to Dick."

"Yep," Dean said, wondering if Ash even knew about Alex's condition.

"He's in the basement." He led them down the narrow staircase. The room was cold and Dick was wiping down a stainless-steel table. "Dick, the sheriff is here." The man in question looked up and his smile made Dean want to punch his face.

"If this is about my daughter's little temper tantrum, don't worry about it. Alex is at that age..." He shrugged his hands outstretched as if asking  _what you_ _gonna_ _do_.

"This  _is_ about Alex. And for the record, she isn't your daughter, you sick fuck," Dean was barely hanging onto his self-control.

"Mr. Roman. We suspect Alex's pregnancy is a result of rape and we're going to need you to come down to the station," Garth said, ever so politely.

"Rape?" Damn, he was a good actor. "I'm sorry, Sheriff, but Alex has a vivid imagination. I can assure you..."

"Listen you piece of shit. You are under the arrest for rape and sexual assault of a minor. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law..." Dean continued reciting the Miranda rights while Garth snapped the cuffs on him. 

The whole time, Ash watched wide-eyed. When Dean was finished, he spoke. "You raped her? You... you..." Ash couldn't seem to find a word harsh enough to show his disgust. He settled for, "You're fired."

It took the rest of the afternoon to file paperwork and call the judge for a warrant for Roman's DNA. Garth and Missouri rallied and started a collection to help Alex and her mother. It was Dean that took Alex home. She wasn't speaking to him. He knew she was worried about the ramifications of Roman's arrest. Nothing he could say seemed to help.

He pulled up to the dilapidated trailer and shut off the engine. "I've got to go talk to your mother."

"No. I don't want her upset. She can't know," Alex snapped. She opened the door and slammed it behind her. Sometimes being law enforcement sucked. He got out of the SUV. She rounded on him. "No. You aren't going to do this to her."

Prepared for her to hate him, he brushed by her. "I've got to. I'm sorry." He saw her sink down onto the rickety steps and cover her face. "Your mom has a right to know."

Inside the house, he was hit with the smell of lingering death. A weak voice called from down a narrow hall. "Alex?"

"Mrs. Roman, it's Sheriff Winchester." He strode purposefully toward an open door. The master bedroom had a large bed and was neat as a pin, the one across from it was smaller, and there, he found a hospital bed. Her face was pale and frightened. "Alex is fine." He led with that and pulled the cheap folding chair to her bedside.

When he was done, she was quietly crying. He picked up her frail hand. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Roman, but even if he makes bail, I can't let him come back here. I won't let him be around Alex." He wondered how much of the conversation she really understood. By the looks of the room, hospice was taking care of her needs. He left her when she fell asleep. On his way through the house, he stopped in the kitchen. A stack of mail was on the counter. He pulled out the utility bills and then stepped outside. Alex was where he'd left her and he sat next to her. "She's resting. How often does hospice come?"

"Someone comes three times a day," she whispered. 

"She loves you very much." When she didn't speak, he kept going. "She knows what Roman really is, but she didn't know about..." He paused. "She thought you had a boyfriend."

"Can you just go now?"

He went back to work. He still had a lot to do. Roman was still in a holding cell and Missouri said he'd called a lawyer from over in Riverton.

It wasn't until he pulled into his driveway that evening he remembered he was supposed to have a date tonight. How could he forget that? A boyfriend for one day and he'd already fucked up. Cas didn't need him. He shut the door and set his phone down on the coffee table. He laid down and covered his eyes with his forearm. All he could think of was the look in that dying woman's eyes when he told her about Roman.

An hour later, someone knocked on his door. He ignored it. When it opened he regretted not locking it, not that he ever locked it. He moved his arm and stared up into Cas' blue eyes. "Hello, Dean."

"Sorry, I meant to send you a text about tonight."

"I just came from Alex's house."

"She hates me," Dean muttered.

"Her mother died this afternoon." 

Dean sat up. "Christ." He pinched the bridge of his nose. How could this day get any worse?

Castiel's cell phone rang while he was walking Electra. "Hello, Alex." The girl never called him, though she'd sent him a few texts in the weeks they'd become friends. He suspected something bad had happened. He wasn't wrong. She was crying and he couldn't understand what she was saying. "Alex, I don't know what you're saying. Where are you?"

"Please come," she got out and he asked her to text him the address.

He was appalled by the living conditions. A white sedan and an ambulance were parked outside the old trailer. He ran up the steps and knocked. Alex answered the door. She looked so broken, he immediately pulled her into his arms and held her. "She's dead," she said, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"Oh, Sweetheart, I'm so sorry." What could he do to help? "Should I call anyone? Is your stepfather here?"

"He's in jail." Jail? Taking her hand, he gently pushed her onto the lumpy, once tan sofa. She told him the whole story. When she was done, he knew what he had to do. 

The call to Stacie took a long time, but there was a lot to go over. Surprisingly, she didn't argue with him. After he hung up with her, he called a courier service and arranged for someone to come to his house and pick up the crate.  _Summer Love_  would finally be sold.

Not wanting Alex to be alone, he waited until they'd taken her mother's body away. He told her to pack her things while he went through a drawer full of paperwork. Her will was filed at the lawyer's office, but the deed to the land was in a box high up in Alex's closet. 

On the way to his house, he told her about his plan. She didn't agree, nor did she disagree. He put her in the guest room and when he was sure she was asleep, he drove to Dean's house.

Alex told him about her arrest for vandalism and the rest of the events of the day. She was irrationally angry with Dean, but now that it was all over, he knew she wouldn't hold anything against the sheriff.

He shifted Dean's legs over and sat down on the couch. "Alex is at my house. I went through the house and found the deed to the land. I advised her to talk to an attorney, but I suggested, she hold onto it until she decides what she wants to do with her life. She wants to leave town. I cannot blame her. There is nothing but bad memories here. I've talked to my agent and I'm going to arrange for Alex to fly to LA. Stacie will help her with finding a job, a place to live, and she'll do homeschooling until she finishes out her senior year. I'm starting a fund for her college..."

It was then that Dean interrupted. "You got that kind of cash?"

"I'm selling a piece of art." Dean raised a brow. "Mick's paintings are worth quite a bit of money."

"And you're willing to do that for a kid you've only known a couple of months?"

"She's worth something, Dean. She deserves to have something good happen to her. I want her and her baby to have a good start." Dean placed his hand on Castiel's thigh.

"Hey, I'm not knocking it. I think you're pretty fucking amazing, Cas."

With that, he moved to lay beside Dean. The couch was narrow for two grown men, but they managed it. Instead of passion, their kisses and touches were more promises of things to come. It had been an emotional day for both of them and they talked until late into the night. 

The next few days, Castiel spent helping Alex get things in order. They were sitting at his dining room table and she broached the subject of Dean. She'd figured out that first night that he and Dean were together, but never said anything. "You think you will marry him? Or is he even the type? I mean, you seem like the marriage, dog, kids type of guy, but him... I don't know. I just think you deserve someone that will put a ring on it, ya know?"

Castiel had to dissect the teenager's words for a moment before answering. "I don't know how to answer the first question, but as for the second one... I think Dean wants to get married someday and maybe have children. I can't predict the future." He didn't comment on the Beyonce song reference.

"Do you love him? How do you even know when you're in love? He doesn't seem romantic." He remembered a time when Alex barely spoke at all and now, suddenly she was a chatterbox.

"You will know when you fall in love with someone. It's the way your heart beats faster when they walk into the room. It's picturing your life five, ten, a lifetime from now, and seeing them in that picture." Castiel stood up, he needed to get into town for the book club.

"You didn't answer my other questions," she demanded with a smile. 

"Those questions are none of your business," he sassed back to her. 

On his way into town, he reflected on the last week. Alex's mother's death, the subsequent funeral, the legal crap that went on due to her rape, and having her living with him. It was stressful and it meant that he didn't have time to spend with Dean. Their relationship was in its early stages and they were unable to see each other except in passing.

Stacie had been a Godsend. She'd taken the tasks Castiel asked of her by the horns. When she got to LA, Alex would be able to move right into a small apartment near UCLA. She'd work at a nearby bookstore until the baby was born and then she'd be able to start college. 

As usual, the book club was amusing and Castiel enjoyed his time with the women. He'd invited Dean over for dinner tonight, wanting to spend time with his new boyfriend and let Alex see him when he wasn't  _Sheriff Winchester_.

The house was dark when he drove up in his new, old truck. Electra was at the door waiting for him. "Alex?" Nothing. Her things were in her room, but she wasn't home. Without a car, she couldn't get far. He called her phone and it went unanswered. Concerned, he strode through the house. The piece of notebook paper tucked under the sugar bowl on the counter caught his eye. 

_Dear_ _Castiel_ _,_

_Thank you for being my friend. This town was a much better place for me because of you. You made me believe in myself. I've talked to Stacie and_ _she_ _arranged for my bus ticket. I can see you rolling your eyes because you wanted me to_ _fly, but_ _flying scares me._ _I'll be fine._

_I didn't want to stick around to say goodbye. It would have been too hard. I've made some decisions and I hope you will be okay with them._

_Alex_

Decisions? What was she talking about? He'd helped her make plans for moving on with her life. College, a new city, a new life for her and the baby... What other decisions were there? Other than leaving without saying goodbye. Somehow, he knew it was the right thing for her to do. Goodbyes sucked.

He carefully folded the piece of paper and tucked it into his favorite cookbook, before calling Stacie.

"You're calling about Alex," she said instead of hello.

"I am."

"She's good, Castiel. That girl has had to grow up fast and she'll be fine. Her apartment is ready for her and I plan on meeting her at the bus station next week."

"She will be fine. I... " Something didn't make sense. "Next week? Buses don't take a week to get across a few states, Stacie."

His agent was quiet for a time and Castiel wanted to shout at her and make her tell him what was going on, because something wasn't adding up. "Castiel, I can't... I promised."

"You promised what?" He knew his voice was shrill, but damn it, he hated being in the dark.

"Just... please be patient. Alex is fine. That's all I can tell you now." He blustered and threatened, but she would not budge and in the end, he hung up and paced the house. Then when he was calmer, he called Dean.

He told him what was going on and Dean assured him that Alex was going to be fine. "Maybe she just needed some time to think before moving. LA can be scary for a kid from Wyoming, Cas."

"But she's pregnant and alone, Dean," he countered and he heard the pinging sound of a car door opening before the keys were removed. 

"I'll be over in a few. Let me feed the horses and then we can talk about this." Castiel agreed and sat down to wait.

The sound of the SUV pulled him out of his thoughts. He'd been picturing Alex on the side of the road. In labor. God, how far along was she? He never found out.

Cas' house was dark and Dean frowned before getting out of the SUV. He'd taken the time to change after feeding the horses and presumptuously packed an overnight bag. Alex wasn't there anymore and they'd just come to terms with being in a relationship when the girl's mom died. They hadn't had any  _alone_  time. Dean needed  _it_. He needed  _Cas_.

The door was unlocked and Electra greeted him with a wag of her tail. He petted her head and ruffled her ears. He saw Cas sitting on the couch in the dark room. He went to him and sat next to him. He found Cas' hand and linked their fingers. Huh? This was new. Holding hands wasn't usually his thing. Then again, he'd never  _cared_  for someone like this before. "She's going to be fine," he reassured Cas and smiled softly when Cas leaned against him.

"I've tried to tell myself that, but..."

"No buts. She's a good kid and she's got street smarts." When he'd found out Cas' plan to help the teen, something had loosened in his chest. Cas was a good man. He really hoped Alex wouldn't make him regret his generosity. The girl was getting a free education and a place to live. Knowing Cas, she'd have health insurance for both her and the baby.

Cas let out a breath and squeezed Dean's hand. "I will have to trust that she knows what's best for her and her child."

Together, the two men put together a simple dinner and then took Electra for a walk. It was cold and the snow crunched beneath their boots. It made Dean feel like it was just him and Cas in the barren world. And that would be alright with him. 

On the porch, they stomped the snow off and stepped inside. Cas held onto Dean's shoulder while he pulled off his boots, then Dean did the same. Their eyes met and Dean couldn't wait any longer. He grasped handfuls of Cas' shirt and tugged him close. When their lips met, Dean's knees felt weak. What was it about this man? 

Cas' mouth was hard against his and the kiss got dirty really fast. Someone groaned and Dean broke away to trail kisses down Cas' stubble covered cheek. "Want you."

"You've got me," came the soft reply. Cas was his. How did that even happen? Cas' tongue dipped into Dean's ear and he shivered. The man knew how to drive Dean crazy, that was for sure. Cas' hand cupped his crotch and Dean pressed into it, rubbing and grinding. His dick hardened and his jeans became uncomfortable.

"Bedroom..." He mumbled, dragging his tongue down Cas' neck. Cas pushed him back against the door, his eyes dark. They stared at each other, their breaths coming in loud, raspy gulps. "You gonna make me beg, Cas?"

Arousal flared in Cas' gaze and he let his eyes travel down Dean's body brazenly. One brow lifted and the room was suddenly way too hot. Did he want... Oh. "Cas, please. I need you."

Cas edged closer until his mouth was a mere inch from Dean's. "What do you need, Dean."

"Your cock. I need you to fuck me. God, please, babe..." Dean's dick was aching and Cas was just standing there. "Please..." 

Without a word, Cas turned and walked down the hall. No, walked wasn't the right word. The man oozed control with every single step. Dean was powerless to resist. He followed. On the way to Cas' bedroom, Dean shed his shirt and when Cas flipped on the light and turned around, his eyes narrowed. "I don't recall telling you to undress." Dean's mouth went dry and his dick pulsed painfully.

"I'm sorry," Dean said quietly, his eyes lowered to the floor. Cas' hands came up to his chest and cupped his pecs, his thumbs rubbing against Dean's nipples.

The sound Dean made could only be described as a whimper. "You are beautiful, Dean. So beautiful and disobedient." An image of Cas that night flashed through Dean's mind. He was gentle, but definitely in control and Dean had let go. Just let go completely... giving himself to Cas.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. Cas's hands were gone and Dean looked up through his lashes. Cas moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Now, you may undress." Dean had read about stuff like this and he'd never thought of himself as submissive, but there was something in Cas' voice that told him he was in for a wild, and possibly perfect, night. He reached down and pulled off his socks, then his belt, the sound of the slithering leather loud in the room. He heard Cas' swift intake of breath. It gave him confidence. He held onto it a few seconds, before letting it fall to the floor. Slowly, he unsnapped his jeans and hooked his thumbs into the waistband. He revealed his black boxer briefs inch by inch. When he finally kicked them off, he straightened and rubbed his palm over his swollen cock. "Dean," his name was said with a warning and he let his hand drop. What would his disobedience bring him? The raw need to find out shocked him. "Take them off."

Dean pushed his briefs down until his cock sprang free. The cool air made chills run up and down his spine. He stood there, naked and aroused, his shaft jutting out, the tip slick with precum. "Come here." 

He moved to stand in front of Cas. A fingertip reached out and touched his slit, then Cas put it in his mouth, tasting Dean. Another whimper escaped. Cas reached up and cupped the back of Dean's neck and brought his face down. This kiss was filled with passion. Cas took from him, sucking on his tongue, tangling it with Dean's. The graze of teeth on his lower lip made Dean hiss. Cas' hand took his and brought it between his thighs. "This is what you do to me." Dean moaned at the feel of Cas' cock, straining against the heavy denim. 

Dean cried out when Cas' hand shot up and fisted a handful of his hair. The pain went straight to his cock. "Please," he whispered, not even knowing what he was asking for. More pain? Cas stood and with a single calculated shove, sent Dean sprawling on the bed. He looked up at Cas, eyes questioning. What was next? What was he supposed to do?

Cas took off his clothes, quickly and efficiently, while Dean watched. When he was gloriously naked, he placed a hand on Dean's ankle. "Turn over and get on your hands and knees." Dean did as he was told, but once he couldn't see Cas, doubts began to form. As if sensing it, Cas' hands caressed his hips. "Dean. I need you to listen to me very carefully." Dean nodded, his eyes closed, willing away the panic. "I am not taking your submission, you must give it to me freely. Do you understand?" 

Dean nodded again and felt the sting of a slap on his ass. "Words, Dean. Do you understand?"

"Yeah. Yes... shit. Am I supposed to call you sir or master?" Cas soft laughter and the gentleness of his hand on Dean's stinging ass made him relax.

"Only if it turns you on, Dean. I don't need anything like that." Okay, that was good to know because honestly, that made him feel kind of stupid. To each their own, he supposed.

Fingers moved up and down his back and over his hips, tracing circles over the cheeks of his ass and then moving to his thighs. Dean's breathing slowed as all the tension left him. Cas was in control... no, wait, that wasn't right. Dean was the one who was really calling the shots. 

The wet heat of Cas' tongue at the cleft of his ass made Dean jump. "Easy..." Cas murmured against his skin. Dean bent his elbows and rested his head between his arms as Cas started licking him. Fuck, it felt so damn good. The deeper Cas went inside of him, the louder Dean's moans of pleasure became. Then it was gone, as quickly as it started. Dean's growl of frustration made Cas laugh. "You will learn patience."

Dean felt the bed move as Cas got off of it. He turned his head to see. Cas had his back to him. The man was truly a work of art. He let his eyes drink their fill. If he could write poetry, he'd surely compose one about Cas' ass.  _Cas' ass_... he grinned. Maybe he was a poet. Then Cas bent down to open a drawer in the armoire and Dean's mouth dropped open. He could see Cas tight hole and his balls hanging between his thighs. He licked his lips, wanting to taste. 

Cas straightened and turned to him. What was in his hands. He recognized the purple bottle, but he couldn't make out what was in the other hand. When Cas lowered himself on the bed again, Dean saw it. A small, flared plug. In person, it looked frightening. It looked like it was stainless steel. 

Methodically, very aware that Dean was watching, Cas opened the cap of the lube and squeezed a small amount onto the plug. "Relax, Dean. I won't hurt you." 

Dean nodded and saw Cas' mouth set into a tight line. "Sorry. I'm good." 

The cool gel was a shock and he felt chill bumps rise on his skin. It ran down between his cheeks and then Cas' finger was there, rubbing lightly over his entrance. He made himself relax. It felt good once the chill wore off. Cas was taking his time, moving slowly. When his finger finally slipped inside, Dean sighed with relief. "Is this okay?"

"Yes. God, yes." In and out, Cas worked him open. Dean's hips moved on their own accord, a soft roll in time with Cas' easy thrusts. A firm hand on his back made him go still.

"Relax for me." Dean's first reaction was to tense up, but Cas' hand on his back grounded him and he inhaled and exhaled slowly until he was ready. 

"Okay." The cold press of the plug was so foreign, Dean's senses went into overdrive. As Cas pushed it inside of him, the flare stretched and burned. He shut his eyes, concentrating on is breathing. He gasped when the widest section slipped through his tight rim. Cas rained kisses over his ass.

"Perfect. Now, I want you on your back." Dean complied, it took him a minute, since moving with a plug inside of you felt weird as shit. 

On his back, with his knees raised, legs spread, he felt vulnerable. His eyes found Cas' and he got a reassuring smile. Cas kept his gaze on Dean while his hand stroked Dean's flagging cock. When he was hard and thrusting up into Cas' fist, the man stopped. "You're killing me, Cas."

"Patience." The word was said with a wink. Dean watched in rapt fascination as Cas turned his body, so his knees were up near Dean's head. Damn, he'd watched porn and always wanted to try this, but never had the chance. Cas swung his leg over and Dean looked up at Cas' cock. He didn't need an invitation. His tongue licked over his balls, then up Cas' shaft. He took Cas inside, flexing his neck back as his throat adjusted to Cas' girth.

Wet heat engulfed his own dick and he thrust upward, moaning around Cas' thick cock. The sensations were overwhelming. The taste of Cas, added to the intense pleasure he was getting from his partner's mouth, was driving him closer to his release. Then Cas started working the plug in and out of his ass and it was too much. He tumbled over the edge, his whole body convulsing with the strength of his orgasm. Cas took his load, swallowing it greedily, until Dean was a quivering mess. So intent on his reaction, he'd stopped giving Cas his attention. His lover gently reminded him with a shallow thrust. Dean brought up his hands to hold onto Cas' ass and gave it his all. 

He loved the heaviness of Cas in his mouth, the velvet smoothness of his skin, the heady aroma that was all Cas... Dean never minded giving head to the few male partners he'd had, but with Cas, everything was different. Even back in LA, it was like a strange bond formed between them. Cas seemed to know exactly what he needed. And he still did.

Cas pushed up on his arms, back arched, and the roll of his hips grew faster, deeper, and Dean took all of him. "Dean," Cas cried out his name and Dean's mouth flood with the bitter essence of his man. He swallowed quickly, trying not to choke and ruin the moment. Cas heaved himself off of him and landed on his back, his hand automatically reaching for Dean's. 


	9. Chapter 9

Castiel woke to the ringing of his phone. He untangled himself from Dean's arms and legs and reached for it. "Hello," he said, his voice still heavy with sleep.

"Mr. Novak?" The man sounded stern and official. Castiel sat up quickly and beside him, Dean opened his eyes, his face questioning.

"This is Castiel Novak."

"This is Zachariah Fuller. I'm the attorney hired by Stacie Wilcox to assist a Miss Alex Jones with some legal matters." Castiel frowned into the phone.

"Legal matters? Does this have something to do with the... rape?" He hated saying the word. It made him want to strangle Dick Roman.

"No. I suppose I should start at the beginning. Mrs. Wilcox contacted me two days ago to discuss the adoption of Miss Jones' baby." Adoption? Stacie was going to adopt Alex's child? But they had children of their own... not that it mattered, but still. He would've liked... No, he stopped himself from going down that road.

"Where do I come in?" Castiel asked. By this time, Dean had sat up and was now getting out of bed. The view of his lily white, but perfect ass short-circuited Castiel's brain for a moment.

"Miss Jones wants me to inform you that she would like you to adopt her son. She gave birth last night at Riverton Hospital. I am there now with the proper documents." 

Castiel wondered vaguely if this was what a heart attack felt like. His heart was beating fast, his pulse seemed to be throbbing in his veins, and it was suddenly very hot in the room. Dean, his jeans in his hand, said his name, but he couldn't respond. Alex wanted him to raise her child. Her son.

"I can understand that this is quite a shock, Mr. Novak. Miss Jones did say that you had no idea, and Mrs. Wilcox was sworn to secrecy by Miss Jones. Adoption is a serious commitment and I explained to Miss Jones that she could not expect you to agree to this on a whim."

"Is Alex okay?" That's all he could focus on right now. A baby was never in the cards for him. He'd thought about it at one time, with Mick, but when he died, Castiel put those dreams to rest.

"Miss Jones is fine. She will be flying out this morning. I believe she is moving to California. Mrs. Wilcox has arranged for her flight. Mr. Novak, if this is something you are serious about, you will need to come to the hospital and sign some papers. I have a judge at the ready should you decide..."

"I'll be there within the hour. What time is Alex's flight?"

"Her flight is at ten. Mr. Novak, my client said to explain to you that she doesn't want to see you before she leaves. She said that she doesn't want to change her mind about staying. I'm not sure what that means, but I assume you will?" Castiel took in a deep breath and released it.

"I do." Alex was stubborn and if he had a daughter, he would want her to be as strong and resilient as Alex. "I will see you shortly, Mr. Fuller. Where will I meet you?"

"I will be waiting on the maternity ward." Castiel hung up without saying goodbye. He looked up at Dean.

"Alex had her baby last night. A boy. She... she wants me to adopt him." Dean's face seemed to drain of color and he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Wow. Just... wow. I don't know what to say, Cas. A baby." He visibly collected himself and looked Castiel in the eye. "Is this something you want? A kid is a lot of responsibility." 

Castiel felt his anger growing. "Do you think I'm not able to care for a child, Dean?"

Dean put his hands up. "Whoa, Cas. That isn't at all what I was saying. I just meant that you've never... shit, of course you've never mentioned it. It's not like we've had a whole lot of deep conversations."

Unappeased, Castiel rose off the bed and ripped open a drawer. He pulled on the sweat pants, his hands shaking with both anger and fright. He and Dean were so new and he already cared too much. Dean wouldn't want a relationship with him if he had a child. Would he? But he dated Lisa... but they weren't serious according to Dean. He ran frustrated fingers through his hair. Damn it, he was overthinking. The only thing to worry about now was Alex's son. 

"Cas," Dean whispered and Castiel flinched when Dean's hand touched his shoulder. He hadn't realized Dean had moved closer. Dean stepped back hastily at Castiel's reaction. "Sorry. Maybe I should just go." He turned and began gathering his clothing. The clothing he'd removed last night before they'd had sex. But it wasn't just sex. Castiel didn't know what to do.

With his boots in his hands, Dean left the room. "Dean," Castiel called out, causing the other man to stop in the hall. "I do want this child and Alex thought enough of me to let me... let me raise her son. I don't want to do this alone." The last word was a whisper, but he knew Dean heard him. He saw the tension leave his shoulders. Slowly, he turned around.

"What are you saying, Cas? Are you asking me to ride along to the hospital, or are you asking for something else? Because neither one of us seems to be great at communicating. I'll need you to spell it out for me."

Castiel lowered his head. What was he asking of Dean? Last night, he'd had thoughts about making things permanent with Dean. By the things they'd shared since Castiel's accident, he knew Dean had taken a huge step. He outed himself in front of his friends, his brother, and now, the whole town knew. And he'd done it for Castiel. He looked back up, meeting Dean's gaze. "I'm asking for you to come with me to meet my son." He waited a moment to see Dean's reaction. When his expression showed resignation, Castiel had his answer. "But I also want you to possibly help me raise him."

Knowing Dean well enough by now to recognize that he dealt with hard subjects with humor, Castiel wasn't surprised when he asked, "You asking me to be your baby daddy, Cas?"

"You are an ass, Dean," Castiel said, but there was no anger in his words.

"Yeah, well, I'm your ass, Novak," Dean said softly. The humor was gone now and, in its place, was a man who was wearing his heart on his sleeve. He was giving Castiel a gift.

He knew not to call attention to Dean's vulnerability. "I guess we should go meet my son." Those words sounded alien to him. His son... he was a parent now.

Castiel moved toward the bathroom. Over his shoulder, he tossed out, "You should probably join me for a quick shower. I would imagine you smell like sex."

The shower was hurried, but Castiel felt a connection with Dean that he'd never felt before. The kisses they traded were comfortable, filled with affection, and maybe a little wonder too.

Dean's SUV ate up the miles and he parked the vehicle in the visitor's parking lot. Both men jumped out and Dean didn't pull away when Castiel took his hand. They asked for directions and walked down the hall. As they drew nearer, Castiel's stride slowed until he was almost at a stop. Dean squeezed his hand. "Cas, your son is waiting. Alex knew you enough... loved you enough... to let you have her baby. She's not the most trusting kid, so that means something."

Castiel looked at him and nodded. Dean was right. Alex didn't trust people, but she put her faith in Castiel. He would not let her down. He only wished he could have said goodbye to her. He would have to call Stacie soon. He couldn't believe she'd gone along with Alex's secret. Stacie was  _his_ agent. She was supposed to protect _his_  interests. How could he be angry with her though? Stacie nurtured people. Hell, she'd been there during Mick's drug use, his infidelity, and his death. He exhaled and said, "Let's go meet him."

The attorney was leaning against the nurses' station, his suit obviously expensive. He wondered if Stacie had picked him out of the phone book. "Mr. Fuller?"

"Mr. Novak, I assume." He glanced down at Castiel's hand held firmly in Dean's.

"This is Sheriff Winchester... my boyfriend." Castiel wanted to see Dean's face when he said that in public for the first time, but he didn't want to look away from the attorney. 

"Nice to meet you, Sheriff. I have all the paperwork prepared. Once you sign, we will need to go to the courthouse to file it with the judge. The adoption documents are pretty straightforward, but if you would like another attorney to look them over, that is within your rights. If no one contests the adoption, in thirty days, it will be legal and valid in the State of Wyoming."

It took another thirty minutes for Castiel to read over the forms and then he asked Dean to look over it as well, but like the attorney said, it was all aboveboard. In thirty days, Castiel would be the legal parent of one Baby Boy Jones. Alex had not named him. The attorney slid another sheet of paper over to him. "And this grants you temporary guardianship of the child until the adoption is signed off on."

His palms were sweaty and the pen almost slipped out of his hand. This was it. One more signature and there was no going back. He shared a look with Dean and saw compassion there. He suspected Dean was well aware of his thoughts. With a quick stroke, he signed his name. The attorney motioned for a nurse. "This is Castiel Novak and his partner, Sheriff Winchester, they are ready to see the baby now." To Castiel, he said, "I will be in touch, Mr. Novak." 

Dean stared at the tiny infant wrapped tightly in a blue flannel blanket. Cas had a son. What did that mean for him? For Dean? He'd be the first to admit that he was scared shitless. So much had happened over the last two weeks. Cas' accident, him coming out, deciding he wanted something lasting with Cas, and now this... a baby. A part of him wanted to run far away, but another part imagined a life with Cas and this child. 

Were they moving too fast? They were both hotheaded and lacked communication skills with each other. Jesse had told him once that marriage was hard work. Marriage? Where had that come from? He glanced over at Cas, knowing the man couldn't read his thoughts, but irrationally worried anyway. Cas' focus was on the nurse as she told him about the baby. Important stuff like weight, height, something called an Apgar score, and then she picked up the kid and placed him in Cas' arms. Dean's heart was thudding heavily in his chest. His knees felt weak, not like they had last night when Cas was ordering him around, but this was just as disconcerting. There was something about Cas holding his son. Damn, Cas had a son.

"I'll leave you two alone," the nurse said and closed the door behind her. The baby had been in the neonatal unit due to his low birth weight. They'd explained that without the proper prenatal care and the baby coming a few weeks early that it was just a precaution. The pediatrician assured them that the boy was in good health. 

Cas wasn't taking his eyes of the baby. Dean couldn't really blame him. He stepped closer and touch the soft cheek with his fingertip. "Wonder if his hair will stay dark like this. Alex had blue eyes and dark hair like yours... hell, he'll look like enough like you..." Dean let his words trail off. He'd almost said something stupid. For all intents and purposes, he was Cas' real child.

"What if I can't do this, Dean? What if I mess up?" He pushed the baby toward Dean and he had no choice but to take the kid. Cas ran his hands though his mop of hair. "What was Alex thinking?"

Dean looked at the baby for a few seconds and then he stepped closer to Cas, nestling the child between them. "She was thinking that a complete stranger reached out to her, helped her, made her feel like she was someone who deserved a good life, and gave her the building blocks to achieve that good life. She saw the man I'm seeing right now. A good man. A man capable of being the best father in the world." 

Cas' eyes drifted from Dean's down to the baby. "I think I've fallen in love with you."

"Yeah, babies can do that to you. They pull you in and put their stamp on your heart. The first time Sam held Tommy, he said that he felt like he could take on the whole world."

"I was not talking about the baby, Dean." Oh...oh. Dean stared at Cas in wide-eyed wonder. "Seeing you hold my son just made me realize what I want."

"And what's that?" Dean whispered, unable to take his eyes away from those baby blues.

"A life with you. A life with our son." Cas stood there, all his cards on the table. That took some guts. Dean admired a person with guts. Did he have the balls to tell Cas his feelings?

"I want that too, Cas." The illogical part of Dean waited for God to reach down and tell him this was a huge cosmic joke. That no one loved him and this dream was just that... a dream. But nothing happened. The sky didn't fall, the earth didn't shake, and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse didn't come prancing down the hospital hallway.

Twenty-four hours later, Cas and Dean brought home Alexander Samuel Novak. Dean had been touched that Cas gave the baby the middle name of the most important person in Dean's life... well, one of the most important people. Dean had his own family now and that put Cas and Alexander at the top of the list.

The last day had been filled with purchases and arrangements. Phone calls and crazy conversations. Alex had made it safely to California and she spoke to Cas briefly. They both cried and Dean had to leave the room or he'd have joined them. Stacie, Cas' agent, had taken some heat from Cas, but Dean knew he wasn't really mad at her. Hell, he'd gotten a kid out of the deal.

Now, here they were, Alexander tucked into a brand-new crib in Cas' bedroom. The nursery was being painted by Cain. Jealousy had raised its ugly head when Cas called the man to come do the work, but Cas assured him with an awesome blowjob that he was the only man Cas wanted.

Once word had gotten out... yeah, small town living at its finest... people began to deliver gifts. Soon packages were piled high on Cas' couch and he'd stuck Dean with the job of keeping up with who brought what... for  _thank_ _you_  cards... who even did that?

It was well after dinner time and Dean was hungry. Cas gave him a sympathetic look, but the man was sorting through tiny clothes and enough stuffed animals to fill an ark. For the fifth time in an hour, he stared into the fridge. How did Cas survive on yogurt and fruit?

A knock on the door had both racing to see who it was. Cas had loved the steady stream of visitors coming to ooh and ahh over the baby. Dean... well, he was still feeling weird about how accepting everyone was that he and Cas were together. Dean got to the door first and opened it to see Sam and Eileen, minus the rug rats. Dean looked around Sam's hulking form. "Hey, where are the kids?"

Eileen was the one who answered. "We thought our two rowdy children would be a bit much for the newborn. They are with Bobby." 

Sam walked past him and pushed a gaily wrapped package at Cas. "This is from Eileen and me. I think... what you did... naming him... it was..." Then he was crushing Cas in a hug. Dean watched the two and then felt his sister-in-law's hand on his arm. 

"He's it for you, isn't he?" She'd signed it without speaking. Dean looked back at Cas and Sam, then nodded. She smiled a knowing smile. "Where is the wee one. Aunt Eileen wants to see him."

The four of them went into Cas' room and seeing Sam's big hand on Alexander's back gave Dean another rush of warmth. 

Over the next week, Dean's days were spent working, while his nights were spent at Cas' place helping with the feedings and the diaper changes. In between, he ran home to take care of the horses and check his mail. It was on one of those trips back from his house that he saw a strange SUV turn into the driveway. He followed it down the bumpy lane and stopped his vehicle behind it. An older couple got out, not dressed warm enough for a Wyoming winter. 

The man looked at Dean's official sheriff's vehicle and then back at him. He hadn't changed out of his uniform yet and he was still wearing his badge and hat. "Can I help you?"

"We were told Castiel Novak lived here. Are we at the right address?" The accent was thick. Irish, Dean thought.

"Yeah, this is Cas' place. And you are?"

"Shawn and Kate Davies. We've some business to attend to with Castiel."

Davies? As in Mick Davies, Cas' ex? Dean stepped between them and the porch. "I'll see if Cas is home." He held up a hand indicating they should stay put and jogged up to the door. As usual, it wasn't locked. "Cas?"

"Back here, Dean," his boyfriend called from the office. He moved quickly to the doorway. Alexander was asleep in a small bassinet near Cas' desk. He smiled at Dean and rose to kiss him hello.

"I think Mick's parents are here," he said quickly. The blood drained from Cas' face and that told Dean all he needed to know. "I'll get rid of them."

"No, this has been a long time coming," Cas said. "Will you keep an eye on Alexander?" He strode out of the room. Dean wasn't going to be dismissed. He picked up the baby and followed Cas down the hall. The couple had not stayed put, they'd come inside the house. Dean wanted to give them hell about it, but Cas looked upset enough. "Shawn, Kate, how are you?"

The couple looked from Cas to Dean holding Alexander. It was the woman who spoke first, her voice filled with venom. "You've replaced our son so easily, have you? I knew you were never good enough for our Mick." The man's hand came to rest on her arm and she raised her chin defiantly, but stopped talking.

"We had a time tracking you down, Castiel," the man said roughly. "Had to spend our hard-earned money to hire someone. We just want what's coming to us and then we'll be gone."

Alexander began to fuss and Dean kissed the top of his head and rocked in place to soothe him. Cas turned away from the couple to meet Dean's steady gaze. Dean hoped he conveyed that he was here for Cas with his eyes. Cas squared his shoulders and faced the couple. "I'm sorry you came all this way, Shawn. I am no longer in possession of  _Summer Love_. It was sold at a small private auction three days ago."

Dean's mouth gaped open. He'd known the painting was going to be sold to help Alex start her new life, but Cas hadn't mentioned it being sold already.

"You're lying," the man shouted, his face reddening with rage. "You wouldn't up and sell it. It's ours."

"It was never yours," Cas said calmly. "Mick painted it and gifted it to me. Your attorneys informed you of that fact many times."

"You couldn't make Mick happy and that's why... that's why..." The woman's rantings stopped with a sob.

"Be that as it may, it was mine to do as I wished. Perhaps you can hire another investigator to track the new owner. Everything has a price if you're willing to pay it." Cas' voice had grown cold. Dean had been on the receiving end of that tone and he'd hated it. Thankfully, those days were behind them.

"I think what my boyfriend is trying to say is that you aren't welcome here. Please leave," Dean said in his best sheriff's voice. He shifted Alexander over so his badge showed in case they forgot who he was.

The woman opened her mouth, but her husband took her arm. With a last cold look at Cas, they went out, slamming the door behind them. Cas seemed to sag and Dean went to him. "You okay?"

"Yes... no..." Dean guided him to the couch and handed him the baby. 

"Sit down. I'm going to fix you a drink and then we can talk." Dean found the bottle of bourbon Cas stashed in a bottom cabinet and pour both of them a shot. 

Facing the Davies had been easy, knowing Dean was behind him with their... his son. When had he begun to think of Alexander as theirs instead of his? Hearing that they blamed him for Mick's death was hard. The old guilt had resurfaced. If he was honest, he knew he didn't make Mick happy. It was the truth. But Mick's idea of happiness was snorted, or drank, or fucked. 

He downed the shot of bourbon easily. It burned all the way down. Alexander was looking up at him and he kissed his soft cheek. He loved this child. Alex didn't ask about him and he understood that was how she was coping. He would let her back into their lives the instant she wanted, but for now, she was coming to terms with her new life.

Dean hadn't tried to get him to talk. They'd sat in silence, side by side on the couch, their two glasses empty on the coffee table. "I loved him," he finally said.

"I know," Dean replied, his hand coming to rest on Cas' thigh. 

"Mick was the life of the party. I was drawn to him because I didn't have friends and he had so many. I felt like I belonged for a while. But then... the partying and the drinking got to be too much. He called me boring. He didn't even want to have sex with me anymore. I thought it was the alcohol making his sex drive..." Castiel stopped. God, he couldn't believe he was discussing this with Dean.

"But he was cheating," Dean whispered. "Cas, you can't make someone happy that doesn't want to be. From what you've told me, Mick had a lot of demons. You aren't responsible for his death. You know that, right?"

"Yes. I came to terms with that a long time ago. Seeing his parents and knowing they blame me... it was hard to hear, but I'm fine." And he realized that he was. He was in love with Dean. He had a son. His life here was better than it had ever been. The friends he'd made here in Cooper liked him for himself, not because he lived with a famous artist or was a well-known author.

Dean wrapped an arm around his neck and tugged him close. He kissed the side of his mouth and then he pressed his lips to Alexander's downy head. "I'm here, Cas. I'm not going anywhere."

The packet came in the mail a week later. Inside were the final adoption papers. Castiel was to bring them to the county courthouse the last day of November. Time had flown by. Dean spent all his off time at Castiel's house. He took his turn feeding Alexander and doing the things any father would do. It was during one of those times that Castiel knew what he had to do. "Dean?" 

Dean looked up from the floor, Alexander's ankles between his fingers and a bottle of baby powder in his other hand. "Yeah?"

"I want to add your name to the adoption papers."

The man he loved stared up at him blankly for a few seconds and Castiel saw the exact moment it clicked. He bit his lip and finished diapering Alexander. When he was done, he picked the baby up and cradled him to his chest. Without looking at Castiel, he said, "So, I'd be his dad too?"

"Yes." Castiel knew this was the most important conversation in their lives and he wasn't going to rush Dean. A few minutes passed with Dean rubbing Alexander's back, as he stared off into space.

"Guess that depends," he finally said and Castiel's heart seemed to stop beating. Before he could ask what Dean was talking about, he went on. "See, I'm kind of old fashioned. I think a kid's parents should be married."

"Should I propose?" Castiel asked, hoping he was reading Dean right.

"It would be nice," Dean said, then started humming softly to Alexander. What was Dean expecting him to do? "I'm waiting," Dean murmured in a sing-song voice, grinning at their son. "We don't have all night, Cas."

Castiel slid off the couch and onto his knees, finally taking Dean's attention away from the baby. "Will you do me the honor of marrying me and becoming a father to our son?"

"Got a ring?" 

"A ring? No... you know I don't have a..." Castiel stopped when Dean began to laugh. "You asshole."

"As proposals go, that one was pretty bad, Cas. You'll need to step up your game if you want me to put out on our honeymoon."

Careful of the baby, Castiel pushed Dean backward until he was lying on the floor. Castiel pressed himself to his side, putting his hand on Alexander's diapered butt. "You never answered me. Will you marry me, Dean?"

All humor was gone now. Dean stared at him then lifted his head for a kiss. His hand covered Castiel's. "Yes." 

Castiel sealed Dean's answer with a kiss and then laid his head on Dean's chest next to Alexander's tiny body. He had a family now. Dean's hand traced lazy circles on his back until he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. He knew he should suggest they get off the floor and move to the bedroom. The rug was padded, but not enough to give them a comfortable sleep. His last thought before he fell asleep was that he'd have to tell his brother that he bagged himself a cowboy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is the last chapter before the epilogue. I hoped you've enjoyed it so far.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone for being patient with me. NashCon, work, a holiday weekend filled with family, a sick grandchild... it seemed the world was conspiring against me.
> 
> I've already started the next fic. I will be posting the first chapter soon. This one should go a lot faster. I'm taking a much needed vacation the first week of July to just write.

"Dean, come on. You need to hurry," Sam called from the living room. Dean looked around and spied his Stetson on top of the lampshade by the bed. He looked in the mirror one more time, took a deep breath, and opened the bedroom door. Sam's wolf whistle had him glaring. Jesse and Garth were sitting on the couch and stood up when he motioned toward the door. 

"Let's go." He followed Sam's SUV down the driveway. Baby had been washed and waxed to within an inch of her life. It had kept his mind off Cas last night. He'd stared across the property and saw the lights on, but knowing he couldn't see his future husband drove him to distraction. Who knew the man would want to keep with tradition and not see each other before the wedding. What hurt almost as bad was not being able to rock Alexander to sleep last night. He was his night, dammit. 

At the road, he glanced over at Cas' house. No vehicles were in the driveway, so that meant Cas was already at Pam's. "That's good," he muttered under his breath. Jesse turned to face him questioningly. "Guess he's not going to leave me at the altar."

"Cesar is with him. The last text I got was that Cas was pacing, but they were definitely at Pam's." He smiled. "You didn't think he'd get cold feet, did you? The man's in love with you, man. I don't understand it, but it's true."

"Shut up. I'm a catch," Dean said, inside wondering what Cas did see in him. It had been six months since Alexander had come into their lives and they'd confessed their love for each other. Six months of taking care of a newborn and loving every minute of it. Dean even wore one of those stupid packs to hold the baby when they drove to Riverton for their shopping expeditions. And 'expeditions' wasn't an exaggeration. When you had a kid, you had to take the whole fucking house with you. The only modification Dean ever did on the Impala was to install rear seatbelts for the carseat. In 1967, rear belts were not an option. Dean couldn't fight it though, since Cas got rid of his Fiat. It was a compromise and compromises were something he and Cas were getting good at.

The church was empty, as Dean figured it would be. He was early on purpose. He knew Father Cohen's car was around back and drove the Impala right up to the front door. With the baby and a book deadline, Cas hadn't had the time or energy to put a lot of planning into their wedding. Dean was going to surprise him. 

Sam parked his SUV next to the Impala. He and Garth got out and met Jesse and Dean at the back. Sam lifted the hatch and the four men unloaded the boxes. Mike Cohen, the Episcopalian priest, opened the door for them and they trudged inside. In thirty minutes, a path of white petals ran down the aisle, the fancy bowls of roses Eileen made were affixed to the ends of the pews, and the altar had several white pillar candles waiting to be lit. It was an afternoon wedding, but Cas loved romantic shit like that.

"Dean, the guests are starting to arrive," Sam said from the back of the church. This was it. He looked at his watch. In thirty minutes, he was marrying Cas. 

With Jesse keeping tabs on Cas, Dean could concentrate on greeting their friends. When a familiar face appeared, Dean's heart swelled. Cas didn't know Alex was coming. It was a surprise concocted by him and Stacie. Speaking of... "You must be Stacie," he said to the woman with shoulder length auburn hair. She was dressed in a cute summery dress and strappy sandals. Alex was in a light blue sundress.

She grinned at him. "Damn, pictures don't do you justice. If I were your agent, I'd have you on the big screen in no time."

Dean returned her smile. "Not a chance. That's not the life for me." He turned to Alex, suddenly apprehensive. "Alex, I'm glad you could make it."

The corner of her mouth lifted and she looked behind him. "Is Castiel here yet?"

"No, the bride will be along soon though," he teased and both women laughed. Dean saw Pam's red Durango pull into the church yard. "In fact, he just pulled up." Stacie and Alex stepped away. Dean watched Cas get out of the passenger side and his breath caught. He was wearing a dark suit and a black bow tie. Dean thought he was gorgeous.

"Wow. You really love him," Stacie said from beside him. She was staring up at him, a look of wonder on her face.

He frowned. "Was there any doubt?" Did Cas tell Stacie he had reservations about them?

She shook her head vehemently, as if reading his mind. "Not on Castiel's end. I questioned your intentions, but not anymore. You're glowing." Dean felt his face redden.

"Yeah... no. Men don't glow. That's for pregnant women." As soon as the words cleared his mouth, his heart stopped. He met Alex's eyes, panic making his stomach queasy. What if she'd come to take Alexander? What if she changed her mind? Cas was clearing the steps of the church now. He wouldn't let her hurt Cas. "Please..."

She tilted her head in the same fashion that Cas did and her brows came together in confusion. Then her eyes widened, but before she could speak, Cas was there hugging her and Stacie. His gaze found Dean's. "Aren't you supposed to be in the back? We aren't supposed to see each other before the ceremony."

"Your whole relationship is nontraditional," Alex said to him. "You had wild monkey sex, waited a year to meet again, fell in love, and had a baby. I don't think seeing your bride-to-be is going to fuck anything up for you two."

"Hey, he's the bride," Dean muttered indignantly. Then he let her words sink in. She didn't sound like someone who wanted her child back. 

Cas' scowl made the two women laugh. "Speaking of babies, where is Alexander?" Stacie asked looking around like she expected their kid to pop up from behind a pew.

"Eileen is bringing him. She should be here shortly," Cas told her. He reached down and took Alex's hand and they shared a look. All the stress and worry left Dean. She wouldn't hurt Cas.

A few minutes later, Father Mike grabbed the two men and steered them to altar. "Are we ready to get this show on the road?"

"Yes," they both spoke together and Mike chuckled.

"Let's do this then."

They'd chosen traditional vows and Dean said his solemnly. This was it for him. When he pictured himself as an old man, it was with Cas by his side. "You may kiss your husband."

It was a kiss that promised years of birthdays and Christmas, arguments and apologies, and yes, sickness and health. When they broke apart, the church was quiet. Dean rested his forehead on Cas'. "Forever, babe."

"Forever, Dean." The silence was broken by a lusty cry. The two men turned as one to look at their son nestled in Eileen's arms. "Someone's hungry."

"Yeah, me," Dean said with a laugh. He threaded his fingers through Cas and they broke tradition by scooping up their baby instead of processing down the aisle. 

An hour later, Dean stood against the wall of Benny's restaurant observing the room. The air was heavy with the aroma of Cajun food. The wine and champagne were flowing. His husband, Castiel Novak-Winchester was talking to his agent, Alex, and Jesse. Cesar was nearby bouncing Alexander on his knee. Sam and Eileen were watching their children spinning on the temporary dance floor. This was his world. His eyes connected with Cas and he saw a flash of heat. Dean lifted a brow. After the reception, Dean was driving them to Casper. They'd have two days without Alexander. Just the two of them in a hotel room. 

Cas didn't know it yet, but Dean planned to send him down to the hotel bar, then Dean would walk in and reenact the night they met. Role-playing was supposed to be fun. He figured Cas would get a kick out of it. 

He watched the man he loved walk toward him. "Hello, Dean."

"Hey, babe," Dean whispered, pulling Cas against him. "Why don't we go say goodbye to our munchkin and leave."

"The party is still going strong, Dean," Cas said, observing their friends and family.

"And they can stay as long as they want. I need you all to myself."

"That's a bit selfish, don't you think?" Cas murmured against Dean's ear, sending shivers up and down his spine.

"I've been known to be selfish on occasion," Dean said, his lips grazing against the sensitive area just below Cas' ear. 

"Get a room," Sam called out and the room erupted in laughter.

It took them another half hour to say goodbye to everyone and when the time actually came, it was hard for them to leave Alexander. Once they were finally in the car, Dean headed the Impala toward Casper and took Cas' hand in his. "I love you, Cas."

"And I love you, Dean."

"Forever?"

"Forever and a day," Cas said, gracing him with a small smile. Dean hummed and looked out the windshield. The sky was almost as blue as Cas' eyes. He, once again, thought back to that night in Los Angeles. How different his life would have been if two lonely men hadn't met all those months ago. He squeezed Cas' hand and he felt Cas' response.

"Forever and a day," he whispered. 

**Author's Note:**

> I want to thank StellaDupree (aka Tiffany) for being my beta, my friend, my adopted daughter, my confidant, and my Con roommate. I love you!


End file.
